A telltale sign of a great recruiter is that they seek to truly understand your business and your hiring needs so they can source the candidates who will be most successful at your organization. Great recruiters also know that an in-person site visit is an effective way to do this.

To understand the value of having a recruiter visit your company, we gathered insights from our own recruiting professionals. From gaining firsthand knowledge to learning intricacies and finding a corporate culture fit, here are seven benefits they shared on why an in-person recruiter visit can make a significant difference in your hiring process. 

• Gain firsthand knowledge
• Build rapport and stand out
• Assess soft skills
• Reduce stress, share insights
• Understand corporate culture
• Build trust and efficiency
• Learn intricacies

Gain firsthand knowledge

Inviting a recruiter to visit in-person allows them to gain firsthand knowledge about the company’s business, corporate culture, and hiring needs. They can observe workplace dynamics, interact with employees and assess the environment, which enhances their understanding. The knowledge obtained during a site visit helps recruiters represent the company effectively to candidates and align talent sourcing with its requirements.

In a recent meeting with an engineering firm that had an urgent need for a controller, I gained deep insights into the necessary skills and established a genuine connection with the hiring manager. It also provided me with an invaluable understanding of the organization's business, corporate culture and their idea of a skilled candidate.

Within two weeks of this meeting, the client interviewed three highly skilled candidates and successfully made an offer to their top choice. This real-life example demonstrates the impact of personal interaction in expediting the hiring process and ensuring the right hire from the start!

Austen Zemrock, recruiting manager

Build rapport and stand out (This is H2)

In-person visits with a client, whether new or existing, are beneficial because they set you apart from your competition and help to build rapport. You become more than just a voice on the phone, and you can learn so many interesting things about the company and your contact. It is also helpful when matching job opportunities to your candidates because you know the type of environment in which they would like to work.

Scott Davis, director of permanent placement services

Assess soft skills

Hiring for any role at any company requires the consideration of two factors — technical skill match and soft skill match. Technical skills can be evaluated in a multitude of ways and can often be upskilled through training if needed. In contrast, soft skills are far more difficult to assess and have minimal opportunity for training and development post-hire.

Allowing a pre-search onsite visit is highly advantageous for a hiring organization as skilled recruiters are keen at both assessing and incorporating the critical components of soft skills needed for making a superior match between a prospective hire and employer.

Amy Springirth, market director

Reduce stress, share insights

At a recent client visit, I saw firsthand the company’s commitment to employee wellness. During the facility tour, I saw that half of their second floor was fully dedicated to this initiative, including a yoga studio and workout space, all furnished with state-of-the-art equipment. More compelling was that these facilities were in use during the workday by employees who were enjoying a healthy break. Many companies speak about corporate culture and a commitment to employee wellness. Seeing it in action and sharing that with prospective candidates is valuable to the company in the hiring process.

Lisa James, senior vice president, practice director

Understand corporate culture

Have you ever tried to explain your company corporate culture to someone? It’s certainly challenging to sum up an entire team and company in a few words or phrases. That’s one of the great things about Robert Half; not only do we embrace the latest technology and seminars to stay up to date on market and industry trends, but we are also client-facing, which means embracing face-to-face connections with you and your team according to your schedule!

A picture is worth a thousand words, and getting to personally experience this helps me select the best candidate for your team, the person with not only the technical skills for the position, but also the appropriate soft skills and someone that will be excited about your work environment. When employees are part of a corporate culture that aligns with their own values, they are committed for the long term!

Hollie Nelson, finance and accounting permanent placement recruiting manager

Build trust and efficiency

The amount of trust that can be built when visiting a client face-to-face is immeasurable. Through body language, facial expressions and the natural energy of the environment, you are truly able to feel the client’s pain points and provide a stress-free plan for placement, as well as the desired candidates.

Recently, I was able to close a deal with a client who went from being too swamped to answer the phone for months, to, after spending 30 minutes in-person together, someone who was able to set time aside to run five interviews with skilled candidates all in one morning and make an offer within 10 days. This is something that we would not have accomplished through emails and texts!

Jonathan Benjamin, recruiting manager

Learn intricacies

One of the biggest reasons for a recruiter to visit a company in person is for that recruiter to learn the intricacies of the business as well as the company and office culture. This allows the recruiter to provide a candidate that will not only fit the experience the company is looking for, but also the environment and office culture.

Soft skills are essential for a good hire. Finding the right corporate culture is just as important as relevant experience. Much of the required job responsibilities can be taught, but personality cannot be manufactured. In-person visits are essential to helping a company make the right hire.

Candice Miller, practice director