#18: Recruitment reimagined: building tomorrow's organizations today
Thijmen Meijer
22 November 2024
Recruitment is more than filling roles—it’s about building the future. Discover how Meijer & Co blends strategy, insight, and expertise to align top talent with your organization’s goals.
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"While technology enables us, it's human insight that empowers us to make the perfect match."
Recruitment is a fundamental business process that drives the growth, innovation, and sustainability of any organisation. Its main mission might be quite simple: finding the best available people in the market. But a good recruitment process is so much more: It defines, sources, finds, engages, integrates, retains, empowers, mobilises, nurtures, and grows the best and most fitting profiles and talent that the market has to offer. A large 2012 study by the Boston Consulting Group into the relationship between people management and financial performance found that “companies that are experienced at recruiting enjoyed 3.5 times the revenue growth and 2.0 times the profit margin of their less-capable peers”. So having a world-class recruitment function can be a huge catalysts in achieving financial success.
At its core, recruitment is about finding and attracting individuals with the skills, experience, and potential to help your organisation thrive. While the word “recruitment” may sound straightforward, it encompasses a variety of tasks, strategies, and techniques aimed at bringing the right people into the right roles—ensuring not only a good fit for the organisation but also a fulfilling role for the candidate. Because only then you will be able to build a business with the strongest of foundations and be able to retain the skills and competencies that will drive you closer to your strategic goals.
The recruitment process often begins long before a job opening is even posted. Effective recruitment requires a deep understanding of an organisation’s needs, culture, and long-term goals. It means thinking strategically about the skills and characteristics needed to help the company grow and succeed, as well as anticipating future talent requirements. That is why we, at Meijer &Co, being every business relationship with building a strong rapport with you and your team, and take the time and energy to get a full understanding of your culture, as well as your short and long-term business objectives.
The recruitment process often begins long before a job opening is even posted. Effective recruitment requires a deep understanding of an organisation’s needs, culture, and long-term goals. It means thinking strategically about the skills and characteristics needed to help the company grow and succeed, as well as anticipating future talent requirements. That is why we, at Meijer &Co, being every business relationship with building a strong rapport with you and your team, and take the time and energy to get a full understanding of your culture, as well as your short and long-term business objectives.
When a specific role needs to be filled, recruiters collaborate with hiring managers to define the position, outlining the essential qualifications, skills, and attributes of an ideal candidate. This often involves creating a detailed job description that reflects not only the tasks involved but also the values and work environment of the organisation. This might seem too much at first, or even patronising, but our goal is quite the opposite. Let us show you an example: when a regional manufacturing company approached us for a Head of Operations role, our strategic planning process uncovered a crucial detail they hadn't fully considered – their urgent need to transition toward sustainable manufacturing practices. Instead of focusing solely on traditional operational expertise, we adjusted our search criteria to find someone who could bridge conventional manufacturing excellence with sustainable operations knowledge. The result? Our placed candidate not only optimized production efficiency but also implemented new sustainable practices that reduced operational costs by 15% while meeting emerging environmental standards. This strategic approach prevented what could have been a costly mis-hire and subsequent restructuring process, positioning the company ahead of industry sustainability requirements while maintaining operational excellence.We want to make sure that the job descriptions you create truly reflect you and your business, and therefore be able to serve as a real reflection and also as an attractive advertisement of your employer brand. This way we will be able to engage with and bring you candidates who will not only excel in their roles but will also contribute positively to the company’s culture.
From here, the actual search for candidates begins. Our team employs a range of techniques to source candidates, from advertising job openings on platforms like LinkedIn to leveraging professional networks and tapping into talent pools that already exist but you haven’t had the chance to discover just yet. In many cases, recruiters also use proactive methods such as headhunting or networking at industry events to connect with potential hires who may not be actively seeking new positions. This passive outreach is essential, as it expands the pool of potential talent and ensures a more diverse selection of candidates. For a good recruiter, each and every connection is a dormant candidate. And we take pride in this, and therefore we always aim to surround ourselves with professionals that are the best at what they do - no matter the line of business they are in.
From here, the actual search for candidates begins. Our team employs a range of techniques to source candidates, from advertising job openings on platforms like LinkedIn to leveraging professional networks and tapping into talent pools that already exist but you haven’t had the chance to discover just yet. In many cases, recruiters also use proactive methods such as headhunting or networking at industry events to connect with potential hires who may not be actively seeking new positions. This passive outreach is essential, as it expands the pool of potential talent and ensures a more diverse selection of candidates. For a good recruiter, each and every connection is a dormant candidate. And we take pride in this, and therefore we always aim to surround ourselves with professionals that are the best at what they do - no matter the line of business they are in.
The next phase, often considered the heart of recruitment, is the selection process. This typically involves creating a long then a short list of potential candidates, conducting interviews, and sometimes administering assessments or tests to determine a candidate’s suitability for the role. During this process, our recruiters assess not only technical qualifications but also soft skills and personality traits that align with the company’s values. Selecting the right person for a job is both an art and a science—relying on data and objective criteria but also requiring intuition and an understanding of human behaviour. Recently, when placing a Finance Director for a sustainable energy client, our human-centric approach revealed that the candidate with the most impressive technical credentials wasn't the best cultural fit. By diving deeper into soft skills and leadership styles, we identified a different candidate who has since transformed the department's performance. This is one of the reasons why we pride ourselves in bringing a truly human element to our recruitment activities - because although we do believe in the power of HR tech, and we even use AI tools to streamline our work, there are certain steps and skills that will never be replaced by technology. Read our article about this topic here.
Once a candidate is selected, the recruitment process extends to negotiating the terms of employment, including salary, benefits, and work expectations. This depends on the type of service agreement that we decide upon, because some companies prefer to keep this part of the recruitment to manage it themselves, nonetheless we are more than happy to provide you with guidance and support even in these final steps. Adn not only here, but even afterwards. Because a successful recruitment doesn’t end with a signed contract. Many organisations have come to recognize the importance of onboarding as an extension of recruitment. Helping new hires integrate into the company, understand its culture, and gain the support they need to succeed is essential for retention and long-term engagement. Effective onboarding transforms a new recruit into a productive team member, setting them up for success and strengthening their commitment to the organization.
Once a candidate is selected, the recruitment process extends to negotiating the terms of employment, including salary, benefits, and work expectations. This depends on the type of service agreement that we decide upon, because some companies prefer to keep this part of the recruitment to manage it themselves, nonetheless we are more than happy to provide you with guidance and support even in these final steps. Adn not only here, but even afterwards. Because a successful recruitment doesn’t end with a signed contract. Many organisations have come to recognize the importance of onboarding as an extension of recruitment. Helping new hires integrate into the company, understand its culture, and gain the support they need to succeed is essential for retention and long-term engagement. Effective onboarding transforms a new recruit into a productive team member, setting them up for success and strengthening their commitment to the organization.
In an era where change is the only constant, recruitment stands as both an art and a science. It's where data meets intuition, where technology meets human insight, and where your organization's present meets its future.
At Meijer &Co, we don't just fill positions – we build teams. Through our unique blend of strategic insight, human understanding, and market expertise, we help organizations not just hire employees, but building their future.Ready to transform your approach to talent acquisition? Let's start a conversation about your organization's unique needs and how strategic recruitment can drive your success story.
At Meijer &Co, we don't just fill positions – we build teams. Through our unique blend of strategic insight, human understanding, and market expertise, we help organizations not just hire employees, but building their future.Ready to transform your approach to talent acquisition? Let's start a conversation about your organization's unique needs and how strategic recruitment can drive your success story.
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