Fractional recruitment means utilizing a third party individual or agency on a part time basis to augment the organization's talent sourcing and recruitment efforts. A fractional recruiter can be an individual or an agency. A fractional recruiter can work a set number of hours or their time commitment can fluctuate as the need fluctuates. A fractional recruiter can support one part of the hiring process - such as sourcing candidates or screening and interviewing them - or the entire process, including requirements gathering and job description creation. The fractional recruiter can work alongside and as part of the team, without the overhead costs associated with a full time hire.
WHY CONSIDER HIRING A FRACTIONAL RECRUITER?
While there are many challenges that come with recruitment and hiring, one major challenge can be the natural ebb and flow that plagues recruitment, particularly for startups and small businesses that are scaling up but may lack the funds and/or operational capabilities of larger organizations with a dedicated HR department. Some smaller businesses have an HR resource that may be able to handle some recruitment; some have no internal HR resource at all, which means the burden falls on others within the organization, including the executive team. And kid yourself not, it's a burden. Fractional recruiting is a great solution to enable your company to get the expertise of a recruitment pro to help grow your team. I speak with many CEO's who are making hires off of Indeed resumes they dig through and I try to explain how recruitment efforts should be proactive and prescient, versus simply responsive.
WHY SEEK AN ALTERNATIVE TO A TRADITIONAL STAFFING OR CONTINGENCY SEARCH FIRM?
Staffing firms and contingency hiring agencies are an excellent resource, but generally focus on filling specific positions. I've found that many companies need help managing the full lifecycle recruitment process and candidate pipeline, but may not need a full time resource, or at least not all of the time. Without any HR resource, candidates can slip through the cracks or have a bad experience interacting with your brand. It's also important to be proactive in building and maintaining a flow of candidates so that you're not scrambling if an urgent need arises.
Traditional firms and agencies are focused on successfully placing someone in a specific job opening with your company. I've found that sometimes hiring needs change, and job titles are sometimes flexible. I've also learned that some organizations are looking for a more holistic and consultative approach, which I really enjoy providing. I like to partner with organizations and learn about the company and culture so that I can accurately reflect who I'm hiring for, and I'm happy to help brainstorm on how to best find the right match for any opening.
HOW DOES FRACTIONAL RECRUITMENT WORK?