Choosing the right supply chain recruitment firm is one of the wisest, yet most challenging decisions a company will ever make. The success of a top notch Supply Chain Recruitment Firm directly impacts a company’s business performance and bottom line profits. A supply chain leader that recruits only from within its own ranks has severely limited growth opportunities. However, a company that hires a supply chain recruitment firm more than likely will become the victim of a costly learning curve.
To find a great Supply Chain Recruitment Firm requires hard work and careful research. The first step is to determine your needs, i.e.: the type of candidate, industry sector or geographical area you require as well as how many and how soon.
From there, a company can begin to research Supply Chain Recruitment Firms and their track records. The internet is one place to start conducting such research. Simply search any of the popular job boards or social media sites for ‘Supply Chain Executive’ or ‘Supply Chain Recruiter’ to find a list of Supply Chain Recruitment Firms.
While researching, a company should also consider networking with other companies in its industry to find out which Supply Chain Recruitment Firm they recommend. Many professionals in the same industry often share their opinions and advice about these recruiters.
In addition, many professional associations have directories of members that can be extremely helpful in finding a Supply Chain Recruitment Firm with specific credentials.
Once you have researched several Supply Chain Recruitment Firms, the following checklist will indicate whether they are worth your time or not:
- Are they certified with professional associations? This is an indication that they are serious about their business and supporting professionals.
- How many years have they been in business? The longer the better.
- Does their web site include a Client/Candidate Search feature? This is an indication that they are serious about their business and supporting professionals.
- Do they only recruit from within or do they consider as valuable those who work outside the company? This is a sign of a Supply Chain Recruitment Firm that considers all supply chain professionals as top candidates.
- Does their web site include testimonials from current and/or past clients? The more, the better.
The ideal candidate will be well-versed in Supply Chain Talent Management related issues. They will clearly understand the Supply Chain Professional’s mindset, the unique Supply Chain Recruitment challenges, and what it takes to raise the bar on Supply Chain Talent Management.
Once you have found a few great Supply Chain Recruitment Firms that seem like good fits for your business needs, schedule an initial meeting with each one. During this meeting, you should feel comfortable with the recruiter and their qualifications. Since the people factor is the most important part of your Supply Chain Recruitment Team, be sure to work with a Supply Chain Executive Recruiter who possesses both intelligence and personal integrity.
When it comes to recruitment, patience really does pay off! The best Supply Chain Recruiters are typically booked out several months, so it is advisable to be prepared with your talent management ‘wish list’ well before you need new Supply Chain talent.
Finally, the most important thing to remember is that it all comes down to people. A great supply chain recruitment firm will support your business by helping you recruit top-notch Supply Chain professionals and by providing the tools, training and support you need to develop a supply chain talent management program that gets results.
