Until the COVID-19 pandemic reached our shores, the supply chain department might have been going underappreciated. Facing a major global supply chain disruption, businesses had to count on the expertise of their supply chain professionals to work the magic and keep things moving.
This begs the question: how competent are your supply chain specialists?
If you have an in-house department in charge of managing your logistics, it’s super important to get supply chain recruitment right. In most cases, this means outsourcing the hiring function to a specialized recruiting firm.
Wondering why outsource when you can just do the hiring in-house?
Read on to learn the big benefits of working with an external supply chain recruiter.
1. Access the Best Talent in a Tight Labor Market
Like in most industries, there’s a biting shortage of qualified talent. In the supply chain sector, there are six available jobs for every one qualified supply chain manager, according to DHL.
When there’s a shortage in the labor market, a couple of things might happen – all detrimental to your business. You’ll spend a lot of time looking for the right professionals to fill your supply chain jobs and you might end up settling for candidates who don’t have the qualifications you wanted to see.
As an employer, you probably don’t have the time, nor the expertise, to dig into the labor market and find the talent you’re looking for. This is why outsourcing the function to a supply chain recruitment firm is a smart move.
An experienced firm has greater access to a wider pool of supply chain professionals, some who may not even be actively looking for employment. They’ll assess your needs are find a good match for your open positions within a reasonable timeframe.
2. Get Expert Recruiting Advice
Outsourcing supply chain recruitment doesn’t take away all your staffing responsibilities. As a business owner, it’s still your job to identify your organization’s labor needs and define the roles that need to be filled. With this information, your recruiter can then take over.
Do you know how to assess your company’s supply chain personnel needs? Your recruiter will get you the best talent, but if you’re still understaffed, overstaffed, or missing key personnel, your supply chain department will be inept.
This is where a supply chain and logistics recruiter will come in handy. They can analyze your company’s supply chain department and give you details on the positions you need to fill. For example, if your firm needs a logistics manager, the recruiter will tell you the occupational qualifications and professional experience this person needs to have.
3. Save Money
Some small and medium-sized business owners shy away from hiring a supply chain recruiting firm because of the associated costs. After all, if you already have an in-house HR manager, why hire an outsider to do their job?
The thing you need to keep in mind is your HR manager isn’t a specialized supply chain recruiter. They probably don’t have sufficient know-how of the supply chain labor market.
When you outsource supply chain recruiting, you’ll save money in a couple of ways.
One, you’ll fill open positions quickly. Considering that it can take about 40 days to fill a position, you can imagine the losses your business will suffer if it lost a key supply chain professional, like the manager, and took several weeks to find a replacement.
Two, you save your company from the cost of making a bad hire. An experienced supply chain recruiter has the expertise to ensure you’re getting the right professional every time.
Three, you save time when you don’t have to focus on your firm’s recruiting needs. Even if you have in-house HR professionals tasked with hiring, their time is better spent on other tasks, like finding ways to make your current staff more productive. And as we all know, time saved is money saved.
4. Gain a Competitive Advantage
In 2022, having an efficient supply chain can be all your business needs to pull ahead of its competitors. At a time when ports are not yet operating at full capacity because of the coronavirus, getting your raw materials and finished goods delivered on time is no joke.
However, with competent supply chain specialists on your team, it’s possible to beat the challenges and keep your supply chain grinding on with minimal disruption.
How do you assemble a competent supply chain department? Working with a recruiting firm no doubt gives you the best chance.
5. Makes Headhunting Simpler
You can always advertise supply chain jobs, interview applicants, and pick those who meet your qualification standards. However, there are jobs that need you to take a different approach.
For example, when you’re hiring a chief supply chain officer (CSCO), you want to get the cream of the crop. You aren’t going to get a CSCO by putting your ad on job ads and waiting for them to apply.
Headhunting is the best strategy when you’re hiring for an executive-level position. Your ideal CSCO is someone who’s likely already working in another firm. How do you reach them and make your offer?
Supply chain recruiters are masters of headhunting. They know what it takes to woo the best candidate to your organization quickly and with little effort.
Let a Supply Chain Recruiting Firm Do the Job
If you were on the fence about hiring a supply chain recruiting firm, it’s time to cross over. As this article has demonstrated, there are many benefits to hiring a job recruiter who specializes in supply chain occupations. You’ll save time and money, get expert advice, and above all, find the best supply chain talent.
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