Remote recruiters: are they worth it?

30 Jun, 2017

Working remotely is one of the fastest growing workplace trends today, with one in three Australians now regularly working from home, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

This type of employment has become easier in many industries with the growth and developments of technology, but how does it affect talent acquisition? Recruiters have started doing their jobs remotely as well, finding and interviewing potential candidates over the internet with recruitment software rather than in person. 

While this can be extremely beneficial in some situations, hiring a remote recruiter for your agency can also present a number of challenges. Let's look at some of the positive and negative aspects of incorporating remote recruiters into your agency. 

Advantages of managing a team of remote recruiters

One of the main benefits of bringing on remote recruiters in the recruitment industry is that agencies can pick and choose recruiters based solely on candidate management experience and talent rather than geographic location – this is an invaluable asset, as it means you will potentially have a much stronger team than you would otherwise.

Remote recruiters also tend to cost less than in-house employees, as the job comes with the same responsibilities but none of the liabilities. Ultimately, qualified remote recruiters have the same job as in-house recruiters and utilise the same recruitment databases – they just work on their own schedules and don't require the same infrastructure as the latter.

Drawbacks of employing remote recruiters

Although it might save you money and give you access to a larger talent pool, managing a team of remote recruiters can also have its challenges. One of the biggest ones is the potential for miscommunication; as with all online interactions, the lack of interpersonal contact can lead to frustration and gaps in correspondence, according to Juice.

Training can also be a particular challenge when managing a remote team, especially if your company has a very specific induction program. 

Organising a team of remote recruiters for your agency can be both beneficial and challenging. Regardless of whether you keep your employees in-house or expand outwards, all recruiters can benefit from specifically designed programs, such as TRIS recruitment software, that handle the day's administrative tasks and allow recruiters to focus on finding the best possible candidates.

For more information, reach out to Recruitment Systems today.