Agencies missing the mark? Here’s how in-house recruitment support makes all the difference

When you’re leading a growing business, finding the right people is one of the most important tasks you’ll ever take on. It’s about finding the right candidate who fits your team, performs well, and helps your organisation thrive, all while remaining with you for a long time!

So it’s no surprise that many organisations instinctively turn to recruitment agencies when they need help. On paper, agencies promise access to lots of candidates and a quick turnaround.

But all too often, traditional recruitment agencies fall short of what organisations really need — and that’s where in-house recruitment support, done properly by a trusted, long-term partner, can make a real difference.

Volume over value is one reason why recruitment agencies struggle to understand you

One of the biggest challenges with many recruitment agencies is their focus on quantity rather than quality. Recruiters frequently juggle dozens of roles across multiple sectors simultaneously. This model pushes them toward filling roles quickly rather than investing the time needed to learn your organisation’s culture, long-term strategy, and unique talent requirements.

True understanding of a business isn’t something you achieve from a quick briefing call — it evolves from ongoing conversations with leadership, observing how teams function, and recognising patterns in why some hires succeed and others don’t. An agency’s business model, focused on speed and placement numbers, rarely allows for that depth of insight.

Agencies fill roles, not build talent strategies

Traditional recruiters typically respond to a vacancy once it has already been created. They work off job descriptions and past placements, which only tell part of the story. This reactive approach overlooks strategic workforce planning, such as understanding where your organisation is headed and what skills you’ll need in the future.

In contrast, effective recruitment support from an in-house partner who truly understands your organisation can proactively align with your broader business goals and help shape hiring decisions that support long-term growth, not just immediate openings.

Incentives that don’t always align with your success

Another structural issue lies in how many agencies reward performance. Recruitment agencies are often measured by metrics such as the number of placements, speed to shortlist, and revenue generated — not on how well candidates fit culturally or contribute to business outcomes over time.

This creates a mismatch of priorities: agencies close roles quickly to meet targets but recommending candidates who ‘can do the job’, but in reality, organisations need hires who thrive and grow with the company, along with having proven ability to do the job well.

Inconsistency and knowledge gaps

High turnover among agency account managers and recruiters is common, meaning that the person handling your brief today might not be the one you speak to next week.

That disrupts continuity and prevents the development of genuine learnt knowledge about your company, your teams, and what success really looks like for a hire in your context.

The advantage of integrated recruitment support

So what’s the alternative?

Recruitment support that acts as an extension of your internal team (rather than a detached external service) can transform how hiring works for your business.

With this model:

• you gain insights that go beyond basic job requirements,

• recruitment decisions are informed by culture fit and long-term success, and

• hiring strategies are built around your business priorities, not agency targets.

This type of support can replicate the benefits of an internal recruitment team, without the overhead of building one yourself. The focus shifts from ticking boxes to truly understanding who will succeed in your environment and contribute meaningfully to your future success.

In summary

Recruitment agencies have their place, especially when you need additional capacity in the hiring process. But their standard operating model often leaves gaps in strategic understanding, continuity, and alignment with your business goals.

By investing in robust, in-house recruitment support, you position yourself to partner with specialists who get to know your organisation deeply — your culture, your objectives, and the type of talent that will drive your success.

That’s the key difference between simply filling a vacancy and building a meaningful team that thrives and performs.

At Vero HR, our in-house talent acquisition team works on behalf of clients to find and hire candidates that are a perfect fit all round. As your strategic HR partner, we understand your goals and the type of team you need to get there. And did we mention, our charging model means you pay a fraction of what you’d spend with an agency? Get in touch with us today to find out more.