Recruitment 20??: You will sell "product"

As direct recruiters have to continuously prove themselves they will need to look to move ever closer to a "net zero cost-per-hire."  If they don't, the RPO vendors will continue to circle ahead whilst the flat fee boys will nibble at their ankles; nice and friendly at first but they'll soon be wanting ever bigger bites!

It would appear that at least one retailer is prepared to think radically.  As recently reported in Retail Week, Trevor Davis, Director of Retail Distribution Co-operative Travel wrote to 30 well known high street brands offering the services of their retail staff on a temporary basis who will be entering their quietest period (Nov, Dec).  Even if he only covers the wage bill that is a massive cost saving.

Take a retail scenario again.  You run various Store Manager assessment centres and have the successful applicants and the almost successful ones that you can't offer a position to.  Now retail recruiters, like any other profession, have their "tribes" who surely they can compare and share with.  If someone has got as far as the last 3 or 4 they must be pretty good yet they just get (ultimately) rejected.  Surely, an alternative discussion around

"My friend at XZY Great Retailer needs someone like you and if you would be interested, and are happy to let them have all your test results from your application with us, then you can see them immediately."

Of course you would make a charge for this e.g. £500 but surely this is much better than your "friend" paying an agency - isn't it?  Of course, the charge is reciprocal and with the right people in your network you could maybe make 10-20 placements a year; maybe more? 

Or maybe a small engineering consultancy could accept the unsuccessful graduates from the likes of Atkins?  Particularly if they also provide a niche consultancy service to the same organisation.  You could even take the football loan player scenario.  Employee X is needing more experience and is thinking of leaving.  Why not place them on a 6-month contract, maybe in a different sector, and charge them out as a contractor.  If they are thinking of leaving anyway, it could be of value to everyone and maybe they will return with new skills and more appetite.

Of course all of the above requires a decent network of people and some open thinking but why not.  I could go into more detail but you're smart and get the concept.

It may not of course cover all of your overheads, but "every little helps!"