CandidateExperiencePaper

SURVEYRESULTS

Movinginhousefromthe
externalrecruitmentmarket

INTRODUCTION
In2012,AspenInhousenotedanincreaseinvolumeofexternalrecruiters(agencyandexecutivesearch)seekingto
moveinhouse,buttypicallystrugglingtodosoforanumberofreasons:
Lackofawarenessofwhereopportunitieswere
Concernoverunderminingtheirexistingrolebydirectlyengagingwithopportunitiesorapplyingdirectly
Apreferenceforhiringorganisationstorecruitexperiencedinhouseprofessionals
Typicallywehaveseveralhundredrecruitmentconsultantsandexecutivesearchprofessionalsregisteredatanytime
seekingtomakethemoveinhouse,butfoundonlyaverysmallpercentagemanagedtodoso.Wehaveaskedthese
individualsoveranumberofmonthstocompleteananonymoussurveyabouttheirexperienceofseekingtomovein
house,andtheresultsareincludedinthisdocument.

ABOUTUS
AspenInhouseisthespecialistproviderofrecruitmentprofessionalstoinhouserecruitmentfunctionsandRPO
organisations.Wehaverecruitedfromresource/researchertoHeadofTalentAcquisition/Recruitmentandforspecialist
roleswithinRPOsuchasthoseinImplementationandBusinessDevelopment.Since2011,Aspenhasdelivered
bespoketrainingforinhouserecruitmentprofessionalsthroughdelegatedayswithindividualsfrommultiple
organisationssharingtheirexperience,andteamtrainingdayswithsingleclients.Allouranonymoustrainingfeedback
ranksourcoursesasExcellentorGood.Aspentakesalongtermviewtoourclients;wemeasureourselvesonthe
successinpostofourplacements.Thisisdemonstratedbytheconsistentlongevityinpostofrecruitmentprofessionals
hiredthroughusandthecompletionandextensionofcontractstoourshortertermplacements.
AspenoperatesfromtheUKbuthascompletedmandatesthroughoutEurope,MiddleEast,andAsiaPacific.

AspenRecruitmentPartners2013

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CENTREFORINHOUSERECRUITINGEXCELLENCE
AspenrunsCIRE,aLinkedinGroupofsome2,300+inhouserecruitermembersaroundtheworld.Thegroupisaforum
fordiscussionandinformationsharingaplaceforpeopletofindnewrolesorsharepositionsdirectlywithintheir
teams.In2012,CIREhosteditsfirsteventsinBristolandLondonwhichhaveallbeenfreetoattendandincluderegular
forumsforinhouseexecutivesearchprofessionals,sectorspecialistdiscussiongroups,andregionalmeetups.In2013,
ourprogrammeincludesfurtherexecutivesearchforums,aconference,networkingeventsacrosstheUK,andspecialist
discussionsondiversity,research,technologyandsourcing.Ifyoudlikefurtherinformationaboutanyofthis,contact
AndrewMountney.

THEFINEPRINT
Throughoutthesecondhalfof2012andearly2013,AspenRecruitmentPartnerssharedthesurveyquestionswitha
numberofrecruitmentprofessionalswhohadexpressedaninterestinmovinginhousefromtheexternalmarketplace.
Participantswereaskedtoanswertwentyeightquestionsanonymouslyabouttryingtomakethemoveinhouse.
Questionsrangedfrombuildingaprofileoftheirexperience,tounderstandingtheiraspirationsandmotivations,to
lookingatthechannelstheyhadusedtotryandmakethemove.Wesoughttobuildapictureoftheexperiencethey
wentthroughwhenseekingtomakethatmove,fromunderstandingapplicationacknowledgementratestosuccess
ratesingettinghired.Theseresultsarebasedonseventysetsofdatacollectedwhichareoccasionallysupportedwhere
specifiedbydatadrawnfromAspensdatabase.

Most in-house roles require in-house experience

AspenRecruitmentPartners2013

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EXECUTIVESUMMARY
Makingthemoveinhouseishard.Itrequiresplanning,persistence,flexibilityofengagement,abitofluck,aCVthat
representswhatthehiringmanagerislookingfor,andhavinglookedintherightplacefortherightroleinthefirst
place!
Itmaysoundobviousbutwith58%ofrespondentsfindingmakingthemovemoredifficultthantheyexpected,its
worthrestating.Demandforinhouserecruitmentprofessionals,whilerisingagaininearly2013,remainsfirmlyseton
hiringthosewithpriorinhouseexperience.Andthebiggestbarriertomostexternalrecruiterslookingtomakethe
moveacrossisthattheirCVandbackgroundisnotevenconsideredappropriatebyclientsforrolesthatthecandidate
personallytendstoviewasjunioror,worsestill,easy!
Ourresultsgaveusonequitesurprisingfigure.Ofourrespondents,
30%hadsecuredaninhouserole.Thissoundedextremelyhightous
andadetailedanalysisofallexternalcandidateswhohadregistered
withusinthelastsevenmonthsshowedthatjust15%hadactually
managedtomakethemoveamorerealisticmeasureofchancesto
thoseconsideringthemove.

Under 15% of external

recruiters have managed
to secure a role in-house
in the last seven months

Theresultsalsodispelledthefailedrecruitermythoftheinexperiencedsalespersonwhocannothackitandwantsto
goinhouse.Wefoundthat70%hadoverfiveyearsexperienceintheindustryand68%hadseentheirincomeincrease
orstaythesameoverthelastthreeyears.Thisfitstheprofileinrecentyears:thosewhohavesucceededintheexternal
recruitmentmarketbutareseekingacareerthattheydonotbelieverevenuegeneratingrolescangivethemany
longer.Theybeginaplannedlongtermmovetowardsdevelopingacorporatecareer;somethingthatcitedasthe
mostpopularpriorityreasonformovinginhousebyourrespondents.Thiscontrastedstronglywithanothermyththat
movinginhouseisaboutgettingawayfromsaleswithescapingcoldcallingthelowestrankedpriority.*
*Editornotes:Thatsaid,itsusuallyoneofthefirstthingscandidatessaytouswhenlookingtomovefromagency!
AspenRecruitmentPartners2013

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Oneareathatdidnotshockus,butshould,isthatthevastmajorityofrecruiterslookingtomoveinhousearesimply
notlookingintherightplacetofindarole.Historically,theRPOfirmsarethemostwillingemployersofexternal
recruitersseekingtomakethemoveinhouse,yetonlyAlexanderMannSolutions(40%applicationrate)andOchre
House(29%)hadreceivedapplicationsfrommorethanaquarterofthishighlyactivegroupofcandidatesthoserates
aretoolow.
Outsideofthis,inthemain,respondentshadreliedonapplyingtoadverts,particularlyonLinkedin,wheretheyalso
triedtobuildrelationshipswithslightlysuspiciousinhouserecruiters!Onthedayofwriting,acursorylookatinhouse
recruiterjobsonLinkedinshowsatypicalapplynowrateof3570applicantsforrolespostedwithinfortyeighthours,
sotheoddsareprettylowattheoutset!
Wevelongbeenadvocatesofrecruitersseekingtomoveinhousemaximising
theirchancesbytakingtheappropriateapproachtomovinginhouseandwe
broadlyadvisethefollowing:

47% of
recruiters would
not consider
RPO firms as an
employer

Respondtoadvertswhereyourskillsetisaclearfit(onlywhereinhouse
recruitmentisnotstatedasarequiredexperience)

Useyournetwork,typicallyyourbestclientisalikelyemployerthereis
oftenamindsetthatthiscarriesriskofthesearchgettingbacktotheboss
butyourclientshavemoretoworryaboutandmayliketheideaofyoucoming
inandsavingthemspend

AspenRecruitmentPartners2013

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WhereyouseeappropriateopportunitieswithRPOs,applytothemaswell;youshouldnotdiscountthem

PuttogetheranappropriateCV.Wevewrittenaboutthismanytimesandyoucanreadmorehere

Beasflexibleasyoucanaboutengagement;inthecurrentmarketyourfutureemployermaywanttohireyouon
acontractorinalocationthatstretchesyourcommute,butthisisacareermoveandonewhereyouare
competingperrolewithtenstohundredsofothersthemoreyoucanstacktheoddsinyourfavour,thebetter

Understandthatemployerswillnothavethatflexibility;youmaybewillingtoworkinadifferentmarketsector,
recruitadifferentfunction,ortakeachancetoboostyourcareer,buttheemployertypicallyinthecurrent
marketwantsasafeoptionsomeonewhosrecruitedthatjobforsomeonelikethembefore.Donttakethat
rejectionpersonally

Giveyourselfaslongasyoucan;makingthismovetakesmonthssometimes.Seekingarolewhenoutofwork
fromanexternalroleandneedingsomethingimmediatelyputsyouunderhugepressure.Youmaygetluckyand
getacontract,butyoumaybeunderevengreaterpressurethreemonthsdowntheline

AspenRecruitmentPartners2013

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OTHERHEADLINEFINDINGS

TheworstperformingRPOfor
acknowledgementshadresponded
toonly56%ofapplicants
*Minimumof10toqualify

ThebestperformingRPOhad
respondedto92%ofapplications

*Youllhavetoreadonifyouwanttoknowwho

Somerespondentshadreceived
NOacknowledgementofany
30%ofrespondentshadnotbeen
applicationtheyhadmade
calledtoasingleinterviewfrom

theirapplications

Ofthosestillseekinganinhouse

role,52%hadbeenlookingfor
Whenconsideringadirectly
oversixmonths
employedrole,37%hadnot

appliedtoaroleduetoanegative
experienceasaproviderorofthe
Themostregularlystatedobstacle
organisationsbrand
tosecuringaninhouserolewas

lackofinhouseexperience

AspenRecruitmentPartners2013

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THEBACKGROUND
Inthissectionwelltakealookatsomeofthebasicbackgroundresultsofrespondents.

Howlonghaveyoubeenlookingtomoveinhousefor?
03months
46months
79months
912months
12months+
NA/movedinhouse

23%
10.5%
14%
10.5%
12%
30%

Howmanyroleshaveyouappliedforsofar?
0
15
610
10+

13%
45%
15%
27%

Howmanyinterviewshaveyouhad?
0
13
46
6+

AspenRecruitmentPartners2013

30%
45%
19%
6%

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THECONTENTIOUSISSUERPOORDIRECTEMPLOYMENT
PeopleinrecruitmenthaveanopinionaboutRPO,whatevertheirroleintheindustry,andtypicallyitisentrenched.

Whateverthatviewis,itisworthconsideringsomebasicfacts:
RPOdeliversaservicethatisvalued,typicallybytheirclients,andinmanycasesdoesexactlywhataninhouse
teamwouldotherwisedo

RPOsarethelargestemployersofonsiteorinhouserecruitmentprofessionals

RPOsarecommercialorganisationswithanappetiteforhiringfromrecruitmentconsultanciesanddeveloping
thosepeople

RPOemployeesareunderthesametimepressuresasallotherrecruiters,whetherexternalorinhouse

WhydoImakethesepoints?Well,ourroleisnottowavetheflaginsupportofRPOsandourbusinessdoesnotrelyon
themtomakethemofflimitsfromcriticism,buttherealityisthatRPOtakesalotofbrickbatsfromrecruitment
professionalsforessentiallydeliveringaservicetoaclient;somethingthatoftenthoseontheattackwouldliketodo!
Whilethereareindividualcases,astherewouldbewithcorporateemployers,onissuessuchaspaymentterms,fee
agreementsandopportunitiestobeonPSLs,thathavemadelifedifficultforexternalrecruiterswithRPOproviders,
theseissuesarenotuniquetoRPO.

AspenRecruitmentPartners2013

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Therealityisthatformostexternalrecruitersseekingamoveinhouse,RPOisahighlylikelyemployerandit
shouldbeadesirableone.Butitisnot.
Only36%ofrespondentshadapositiveorverypositiveimpressionofRPOcomparedto76%fordirectinhouse
recruitment

25%ofrespondentshadabroadlynegativeimpressionofRPOcomparedto9%ofdirectinhouserecruitment
ThistellsusthatthereisaseriouspieceofeducationtobedonearoundtheroleofRPOandtheemployment
opportunitiesitholds.Whilethefiguresdemonstratethestrongappealofdirectinhouserecruitment,the39%of
thosewhoareneutralonRPO,tome,showthatthereisamajoropportunityforRPOcompaniestodemonstratetheir
valueasemployers.Aswewillcomeontoshortly,thereisacollectivedifficultyhere.Whiletheoutsourcedfirmswould
probablyargueoverthevalidityofotherstocallthemselvesanRPO,anexternalrecruiterseesverylittledifferenceand
islikelyjudgingthewholesectorbasedononeexperience.

THATRPOEXPERIENCE
LetssetthecontextforapplyingtoRPO:
47%ofrespondentswerenotwillingtoconsideranyroleswithRPOemployersandhadnotdoneso

OfthoserespondentsconsideringroleswithRPO,44%statedtheyhadnotappliedtoaspecificoneduetotheir
experienceworkingwiththemasasupplier
ThisisnotauniqueissuetoRPOthough;directemployersalsosufferherewith37%notapplyingtoa
specificopportunityduetotheirexperiencewiththemasasupplier

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Forapplicationvolumes,thetopthreeRPOs(ofthirteenfirmsstated)inorderwere
AlexanderMannSolutions(40%ofwholerespondentpool)
OchreHouse(29%)
ResourceSolutions(23%)

Thestatedresponseratestoapplicationswereincrediblyvaried;ofthosereceivingaminimumof10
applications,therewereresponse/acknowledgementratesaslowas56%

Thebestperformersforacknowledgementrates,basedonaminimumof10applications,inorderwere
ResourceSolutions(92%acknowledgementrate)
RandstadSourceright(81%)
AllegisGroupServicesandHays(80%)

ThereisahugeopportunityherefortheRPOsectortohiremorepeoplewhowanttoworkinthekindsofrolesthey
havebutwherethecandidatepooldoesnotviewthemintheappropriatelight.Butjustasthereiscurrentlyaserious
debateongoingabouttheimpactofcandidateexperienceonbrandintheconsumerandonlinesectors,soRPO
companiesmayhavetoconsiderwhethersomeoftheirrelationshipswithproviders,andtheirapproachtothem,are
damagingtheirchancesofemployingrecruitersinthefuture.

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THEINHOUSECONTRAST
Whilewewerenotabletospecifyasclearlythepotentialemployersdirectlyinhousegiventhefarhighervolumeof
companieswithfarsmallerteams,wewereabletogetasenseofthecandidateexperienceagainhere:
80%ofourrespondentshadappliedtoadirectlyemployedinhouserole

44%ofrespondentsstatedtheywereonlyapplyingtodirectlyemployedinhouseroles

Thevolumeofapplicationratesvariedsignificantlybutthemedianwas5perrespondent

Applicationacknowledgementlevelswerehugelyvariedfrom0100%

COMMENTS
Tofindanewrole,werecommendthatcandidates,whentheydonothaveinhouseexperiencealready,takeabroad
lookattheopportunitiesinthemarket.Itsclearthatthatisnotcurrentlyhappening.Toenhancethechancesof
makingthemove,bothcandidatesandemployershaveanumberofopportunitiestheycantakeadvantageof:
Candidatesshouldconsidertheoddsofemployment;directinhouseteamsaretypicallysmall,soinanygiven
yeartheremaybeonlyoneoptionwithoneteamwhichtheirapplicationissuitablefor,sobeawareyoumay
needtointerviewforawidernumberofrolestobesuccessful

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DoengagewithRPOfirms;theyemployhighervolumesofonsiterecruitersandmaywellhaveregular
opportunitiesoverayear,eveniftheydonottoday

Directemployersshouldconsidertheskillsanagencyrecruitercanbringalongsidethosewithinhouse
experience;typicallyweareseeinghiresfromagencyhappeningafteralongperiodofseekingaperfectin
houserecruiteratalowsalary.Openthefieldtoagroupwhoarereallykeentoworkforyouandwillbeloyal

RPOfirms,considerthegeneralbrandofRPO,notjustyourown.Canyoudomoretohelprecruitersunderstand
therecruitmentpropositionyoucanoffer?

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THEBIGGESTCHALLENGE?(INTHEWORDSOFTHERECRUITERS)

Movedbetween
jobstoooften
recently

Havingthe
rightsector
experience

Location

Age

Mythreemonth
noticeperiod

Provingmyskills
aretransferable

Ridiculouslabelofbeing
anagencyrecruiter!

Thevolumeofother
peoplelooking

LackofCIPD

Imtooexpensive

Noinhouseexperience

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CONCLUSION
Inhouserecruitingishighprofilein2013.Imprettysuretheexposureitgets,andthelowerlevelsofplacementsmany
externalpermanentrecruitersandexecutivesearchprofessoinalsaremaking,helpperpetuatetheviewthatthe
numberofinhouserecruitersoutthereishigherthanitreallyis.Inmanyways,inhouserecruitingisstillinitsinfancy
andin2013weareseeingrealpressureoninhousefunctionsandRPOstodeliverfarmorewithlessbudget,andoften
thesameorlessheadcountinamarketwherepeoplearesuspiciousofmovingfromemployersandnervousaboutthe
economicoutlook.
Thefutureofinhouserecruitinganditsgrowthwilldependonthepeoplewhodeliveritand,justaspre2008when
functionsbegantogrowforthefirsttimeinmanylargerbusinesses,theywillrelytosomeextentoranotheronhiring
fromtheiragencycousins.Thegoodnewsforemployersisthatinhouserecruitmentisbecomingagenuinecareerof
choiceformanyexperiencedrecruitmentprofessionals;thetougherpartforthoselookingtomakethatmoveisthat
themoveishardertomakethanmostwouldlike.
Ifyouwanttodiscussanyelementsofthisreportingreaterdetailaseitheradirectemployer,RPObusiness,orrecruiter
(agency,RPO,orinhouse),dofeelfreetogetintouchwithuswerealwayshappytotalkrecruitment!
Ifyoureaninhouseprofessional,comeandfindourCentreforInhouseRecruitmentExcellencegrouponLinkedinor
Twitter,wheretheresplentyofdebateandeventstobefound.PleasealsoconnectwithAndrewonLinkedin.

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CONTACTS

AndrewMountney

andrew@aspeninhouse.com

AspenInhouse

01737735026

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