This article provides a beginner-friendly overview of recruitment: what it is, how recruitment agencies operate, the difference between in-house and external recruitment, how talent pools are developed, and what employers can expect in terms of process and fees.
What is Recruitment?
Recruitment is the end-to-end process of sourcing, evaluating, and hiring individuals to fill open roles within an organization. While it might sound straightforward, effective recruitment goes beyond “filling jobs.” It requires aligning the right person with the right position at the right time, balancing skills, experience, and cultural fit.
Recruitment can include:
- Workforce planning: Understanding organizational needs.
- Job design and advertising: Writing descriptions that attract the right candidates.
- Sourcing: Proactively identifying candidates through job boards, referrals, databases, and networks.
- Screening and interviewing: Assessing skills, experience, and alignment with company values.
- Offer negotiation: Helping employers and candidates reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
- Onboarding support: Ensuring a smooth transition into the company.
In-House vs. External Recruitment
One of the first questions organizations face is whether to manage recruitment internally or work with an external recruitment agency.
Read the full article: Internal vs External Recruitment Explained
In-House Recruitment
Handled by a company’s own HR or talent acquisition team.
- Advantages: Direct knowledge of company culture, ongoing engagement with staff, typically lower per-hire costs if roles are filled easily.
- Challenges: Limited networks, higher costs if turnover is high, and resource constraints during periods of rapid hiring.
External Recruitment
Outsourced to a recruitment agency or executive search firm.
- Advantages: Access to broader talent pools, industry expertise, and specialized sourcing strategies. Recruiters often have established relationships with passive candidates (those not actively job-hunting).
- Challenges: Agency fees, and a need for strong communication to ensure alignment on role requirements.
For many companies, a hybrid approach works best: handling high-volume, straightforward roles internally, while partnering with agencies for specialized, senior, or hard-to-fill positions.
“In-house recruiters are often stretched thin — they may be filling entry-level roles, managing hundreds of resumes, and juggling other HR responsibilities. A difficult, senior-level search can take hundreds of hours, and that’s where external recruiters add value. Our team can dedicate focused time and deep expertise to those searches, and in confidential cases, provide a level of discretion that in-house teams can’t always manage.” – Henry Goldbeck
The Role of Recruitment Agencies
Recruitment agencies exist to bridge the gap between employers and job seekers. They serve as both a talent scout and a strategic advisor.
Employers can expect a recruitment agency to:
- Clarify requirements: Agencies work with hiring managers to define role responsibilities, qualifications, and desired traits.
- Source talent efficiently: Recruiters tap into networks, industry connections, and proprietary databases.
- Shortlist candidates: Presenting only those who meet the employer’s requirements.
- Provide market insight: Offering data on salary expectations, candidate availability, and competitive hiring practices.
- Streamline hiring: Managing scheduling, communications, and candidate feedback to reduce the administrative burden.
Agencies are particularly valuable in competitive industries — such as life sciences, engineering, and accounting — where the right candidate can be difficult to secure.
Understanding Talent Pools
One of the biggest advantages a recruitment agency brings is access to established talent pools. These are databases of pre-qualified candidates that agencies maintain over time, often segmented by industry, seniority, and specialization.
Employers benefit from talent pools because:
- Recruitment can move faster when suitable candidates are already identified.
- Agencies can introduce passive candidates who may not apply to job postings.
- Niche or specialized roles can be filled more effectively.
This proactive approach to talent ensures companies aren’t only relying on job postings — which often only attract active job seekers — but also reaching skilled professionals who are already employed but open to opportunities.
Recruitment Fees: What to Expect
Many employers hesitate to work with agencies because of concerns about cost. Understanding fee structures helps put these into perspective.
Common Models
- Contingency recruitment: Payment is only due if a candidate is successfully hired.
- Retained search: A more collaborative model where agencies are paid a retainer fee to conduct an in-depth search, often for executive or senior roles.
- Flat fees or project fees: Sometimes used for high-volume recruitment campaigns.
Value of Investment
While fees may range from a percentage of the candidate’s first-year salary to flat project rates, they should be weighed against the cost of:
- Prolonged vacancies.
- Mis-hires and turnover.
- Time spent by internal staff.
Agencies can often reduce total cost-per-hire by speeding up the process and improving candidate quality.
Read the article: Recruitment Metrics that Actually Matter
How Recruitment Fits Into the Hiring Landscape
Recruitment is one piece of the larger hiring and talent management puzzle. Alongside onboarding, training, retention, and succession planning, recruitment ensures businesses have the human capital needed to execute their strategies.
A successful recruitment strategy:
- Aligns with business goals.
- Supports diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Builds a pipeline of future talent.
- Enhances employer brand by ensuring positive candidate experiences.
Companies that view recruitment as a strategic investment — rather than a transactional process — are better positioned to grow sustainably.
Recruitment in Western Canada: Key Considerations
In markets like Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and across BC and Alberta, recruitment agencies play a vital role in helping businesses stay competitive.
- Vancouver: Home to a diverse economy, from tech to natural resources, where competition for specialized talent is high.
- Calgary: Energy and engineering roles often require niche expertise, making agency connections valuable.
- Edmonton: Growth in life sciences and public sector hiring makes specialized recruitment critical.
- Regional industries: Mining, forestry, and construction continue to need skilled trades and management talent — often in short supply.
Recruitment agencies with established local networks can help employers in Western Canada navigate both talent shortages and rapid industry shifts.
Conclusion: Recruitment as a Strategic Partnership
Recruitment isn’t just about filling vacancies — it’s about building teams that drive organizational success. Whether handled internally, externally, or through a hybrid approach, recruitment requires strategy, resources, and access to talent.
For employers, understanding what recruitment is — and what agencies bring to the table — is the first step in making informed decisions about hiring. By viewing recruitment as a strategic partnership, companies can secure the people they need today while building talent pipelines for tomorrow.
👉 Looking to hire top talent? Connect with a recruiter at Goldbeck Recruiting today and discover how our team can help you find the right fit for your business.
