The human resources team within an organisation generally has overall responsibility for employee recruitment and setting up the strategies and procedures associated with managing personnel. Their role is crucial in an organisation as they are in charge of finding and securing the right people needed if the business is to survive and move forward in the future.

It's essential to have a quick and smooth process in today's competitive world if you want to find and hire those best qualified for jobs at all levels. With all the other duties an HR department is responsible for they don't always have enough time to do as thorough a job as they'd like. To be successful there has to be a plan that outlines how and when to source the best recruits either from within the company or externally.

If an organisation wants to attract the right calibre of employee, its essential structures are clear and well-defined. Job descriptions need be comprehensive, selection processes should be resourceful, employment relations and human resource policies need to be well-defined and the company has to demonstrate it has a strong employer branding and strategies that show commitment to employees in order to be attractive to prospects.

Recruiting from within the company is generally the most cost effective solution, however if there is no-one with sufficient training or qualifications for the vacancy then it will be necessary to recruit from outside. With business models liable to change or need updating at any point, this can create a demand for particular skills or experience that either can't be sourced or trained quickly enough from the existing workforce, in these instances companies turn to a professional recruitment agency to help them out.

Recruitment process outsourcing, RPO, can be accessed as and when required, which saves the company money as it doesn't have to pay full-time members of staff to do the job. Smaller organizations often find it difficult to find the funds for a full-time HR team and although larger organizations may have an HR team it doesn't necessarily mean they'll have the particular skills needed for a particular recruitment assignment. A specialist RPO agency can help out in certain situations, for example if there is an unexpected need for a large number of new employees, or the organization needs to source high level employees, including executives and senior management.

The services of an external recruitment agency are attractive to a large company as they can take over many of the jobs that although important, are time consuming, also they are highly proficient and experts at working with people and finding quality people for the right job. More and more companies, particularly large international organisations, are relying on their services to deal with a growing workforce and a competitive market. Their ability to assist with all kinds of services, from designing the job advertisement, placing vacancies in the appropriate media, candidate response handling and short listing potential applicants, to performing aptitude tests, preliminary interviews and reference and qualification checks, makes them increasingly in demand.

With competition so fierce its vital companies do everything they can to stay ahead, and effective performance management is just one aspect a recruitment specialist can help you with. Management is important in all aspects of business, from assisting employees to set goals and guiding them in their career development, carrying out performance appraisals and assessments, to arranging compensation and organizational alignment. If these structures are all in place then it will generate a growth in productivity, streamline processes and increase accountability, high-flyers will be motivated and engaged and this in turn will push the company forward and upwards.

Taking the decision to contract out the recruitment procedure, whether you just select elements of it or the whole process, can save a lot of money and time, it will also improve the way recruitment is dealt with making it a more positive experience for both the employer and employee. When carried out proficiently, RPO can turn your organization around by reducing hiring costs, improving recruiting processes and giving the company a competitive edge.

If you are having trouble finding people for those difficult to fill vacancies, coping with erratic hiring levels or simply can't afford to pay a human resources team a set salary every month, then look online for a recruitment process outsourcing, RPO, service for flexibility and more control over your budget.