Recruitment & Selection vs Interim Recruitment: what's the difference?
Recruitment & Selection vs Interim Recruitment: what's the difference?
Recruitment & Selection and Interim Recruitment are both important forms of recruitment services within Sterksen. As a potential colleague, it can take some time to find out how the work is divided at a new organization. This blog examines the differences and similarities between the two recruitment solutions at Sterksen.
What is Recruitment & Selection?
The strength of Recruitment & Selection at Sterksen lies in the depth and quality with which the partnership with both client and candidate is built. The goal is always to achieve the best result for all parties involved. With Recruitment & Selection, we focus on long-term solutions, where recruitment is preferably carried out exclusively for different clients. By exclusive recruitment we mean that we take on the entire recruitment process of a vacancy. This means that we carefully consider all candidates, regardless of their origin (such as a work at page, referrals or actively hired candidates). We assess these candidates and make a selection of the professionals who best fit the vacancy and the client's needs.
This creates commitment on the client side and creates partnership. In addition, you also build a relationship with the candidate by guiding them through the entire process as well as possible. This involves extensive personal intake interviews, interim update calls, close supervision throughout the process and guidance through the deal-closing process.
The focus in Recruitment & Selection is on (business) IT roles, which is dynamic due to the rapidly changing industry. For the more experienced recruiters we also have executive search assignments, where we fulfill non-IT management positions in addition to IT. Think of positions such as Commercial Director or CEO.
What is Interim Recruitment?
Interim Recruitment has a dynamic character. This is therefore faster and more flexible within Sterksen than Recruitment & Selection. Here too a relationship is built with the client, but the process is more volatile given the speed required in the process. You often have only a few hours to days to introduce the suitable candidate to your client. The goal: to bring supply and demand together as quickly as possible. To achieve this, there is a short intake with the client. This is concise, but with a personal touch. We want to understand what the client is looking for in order to make the right match.
Because the recruitment process for interim assignments has a shorter cycle, the interviews with candidates are often somewhat shorter and less in-depth than in Recruitment & Selection. However, there is often more interaction with potential candidates, as the interim employees themselves actively show interest.
After your candidate is placed, it is crucial to maintain intensive contact with both the hiring manager and the candidate. This not only helps to further strengthen the partnership, but also to keep both parties committed to you for as long as possible and make the relationship lasting.
The similarities in our recruitment solutions
Recruitment & Selection and Interim Recruitment at Sterksen also have similarities. They are both roles with a commercial character. Both solutions are about bringing supply and demand together for both client and candidate. The two recruitment solutions also work closely together internally to jointly provide the best solution for the client.
There may be times when the pressure on a client's open position is very high, yet there is a need for a permanent candidate. In such a case, the two services can work together. By first placing an interim professional, while at the same time we start the search for a permanent employee.
Recruitment & Selection focuses on in-depth, long-term partnerships with extensive intakes and personal coaching. Interim Recruitment, on the other hand, is faster and more flexible, with a shorter intake and faster follow-up to achieve quick results.
With interim, the process is not complete after the placement; you remain in close contact with the candidate throughout the assignment. In addition, you are responsible for contractual agreements and dealings with both the client and the candidate.
In short, at Sterksen both Recruitment & Selection and interim recruitment offer effective solutions, each with its own approach. The diversity of recruitment solutions within the organization ensures that you have plenty of internal opportunities to grow and develop yourself further. Would you also like to benefit from this and make yourself a real matchmaker? Then take a look at our vacancies and apply immediately!
RPO: the next step in your recruitment career
RPO: the next step in your recruitment career
RPO recruiter Robert van den Ouwelant tells you all about it here
As a recruiter, sometimes you can't see your own career through the vacancies. The recruitment services fly around your ears: recruitment & selection, secondment, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) or interim. In this blog we will help you on your way by taking a closer look at RPO services. This is the next step for every recruiter with some experience. How and why? Find out here!
What is RPO?
RPO stands for Recruitment Process Outsourcing. An organization outsources the recruitment and selection process to an external recruitment organization. This can be for various reasons, such as lack of expertise, cost or time savings. For an RPO recruiter this means that you are employed by a recruitment organization and placed with one of their clients in the role of Corporate Recruiter. Here the client is relieved in the recruitment process from A to Z: filling vacancies, referral, employer branding and innovation in data and systems (ATS) are the responsibility of the RPO recruiter.
Why is this the next step for you as a recruiter?
Because, as an RPO recruiter, you are employed by a recruitment organization and placed with a client, you wear two different hats. This means that you gain a large network, gain a lot of experience and make strides in stakeholder and project management, among other things. You are surrounded by other RPO colleagues who in turn also bring experience, which you learn from. In addition to finding the right candidates, you will develop with strategic recruitment projects. As an RPO recruiter, you are the recruitment expert for a client, making this the next step for you as a recruiter.
RPO at Sterksen
Sterksen has decades of experience in RPO projects. We are characterized by a team of experienced and committed professionals. We are of relatively small size with large international clients on RPO. Almost every large IT organization, is a client of Sterksen. In an RPO project we always try to be two steps ahead, for example with new recruitment marketing initiatives or data reporting via BI. We are sparring partners; we work with and not for the client. In addition, we learn and laugh a lot with colleagues. Monthly we organize RPO meetings and regularly we do a fun activity: from bingo to ChatGPT knowledge sessions.
What does this mean to you?
Sterksen is originally an organization from Brabant and it shows. Placements are regularly celebrated with sausage rolls at the office: a nice change from often more corporate environments at the client. This brings an interesting dynamic. In addition, Sterksen is not an average recruitment organization when it comes to 'individual scoring'. Also as an RPO recruiter you work as a team to get the best out of recruitment for our clients. Our culture ensures that you will quickly feel at home at Sterksen and work with confidence for the client.
Are you curious about RPO, Sterksen and/or want to know more about your next step as a recruiter? Feel free to ask me, Robert, your question at Robert.VandenOuwelant@sterksen.com or +31 6 52758134 Always nice to spar!
Becoming a recruiter with no experience? Here's what you need!
Becoming a recruiter with no experience? Here's what you need!
Connecting talented individuals to the right organizations gives us the daily dose of energy! Would you also like to become part of this beautiful matchmaking process? Not necessarily professional knowledge is required, because even without specific experience you can start as a Recruiter. Britt van Heffen, Recruiter at HeadFirst Group, tells what you need to become a Recruiter.
Skills Required for Recruitment Consultant
Are you someone who likes to help others, do you like to be in contact with people and are you sales driven? Then recruitment might be the ideal profession for you! At Sterksen we are always looking for enthusiasts to join our team of IT Recruitment Consultants.
Key recruitment skills include:
- Strong communication skills, both oral and written. For example, you must be able to write job postings and have a lot of contact with clients and candidates.
- Being able to listen well and ask through questions is also essential. After all, it is important to find out as much information as possible.
- Persuasion is important, wantsales is a big part of recruitment. In this case, you're just not selling a product, but a position in the IT industry.
- Stakeholder management is also part of this, because as a Recruitment Consultant, you are the link between the client and candidate. In doing so, you have to inform everyone in the right way and at the right time.
- Perseverance, because rejections are also part of this field. So it is important to stay focused on your goal of finding the best matches.
- Your time management must also be in order. After all, recruitment can go on forever because there is no hard deadline. In addition, it is important to prioritize. There is always a new candidate or organization coming forward.
Can just anyone become a Recruiter?
With a college education in HRM, Sales or Marketing or Communications and up to 1 year of recruitment experience, you have a good foundation. We pay particular attention to the skills you possess. When we receive an application, our Corporate Recruiters always check whether you really know what you are applying for.
To step into this role, you must be motivated and enthusiastic. You are client responsible and therefore have to bring in both candidates and vacancies. And yes, that includes some cold acquisition. Are you up to the challenge? If your answer is a resounding yes, then Sterksen is the place for you! And do not worry, we will not throw you in at the deep end.
Getting started as a starter at Sterksen
Sterksen is a committed and warm organization. Cooperation and team building are very important to us. When you become part of the team, you always start with an onboarding process. In a 10-week onboarding period you will learn all the tricks of the trade and receive the necessary guidance.
During this period you will get to know the work environment: the organization, the colleagues and the systems you will be working with. You will also learn interview techniques to learn how to deal with clients and of course you will learn all the ins and outs about the content of your job. You will then find the right candidates for our clients in the IT field.
The advancement opportunities as a Recruiter
As a Junior Recruiter, you start by filling Traineeship vacancies, for example, dealing with students. From there you pick up increasingly "difficult" roles and your work also becomes increasingly varied. We offer you plenty of opportunities to grow into a medior or senior role.
Do you have the desire to become a recruiter? Then check out our vacancies for open IT Recruitment Consultant positions, or contact our recruiters directly on 088 04 42 000 or info@sterksen.com.
Building a career at Sterksen
Building a career at Sterksen
Sterksen has been a specialist in innovative and industry-leading recruitment for more than 20 years. When you have been with an organization for 17 years, you go through a lot. This is also the case for Yvonne van Amelsvoort, Principal Recruitment Consultant at Sterksen. She tells what it is like to build a career at Sterksen.
The process from A to Z
"With the service IT Search (ITS) we work with (international) clients on the basis of recruitment and selection. We advise and support around recruitment issues in the full breadth of IT. I am currently active in both IT Search and Executive Search. With this we search, approach and select the best talent for key positions, such as a CEO or CIO.
What I enjoy most about this position is being involved from A to Z. From recruiting clients and picking up vacancies, to selecting suitable candidates and filling the vacancy, with everything in between. All facets of recruitment are covered. In this role you will also visit clients a lot, because being physically present is different from doing everything online.
When you join this Business Unit, you will receive the same onboarding that every new employee at Sterksen receives, to get to know the organization well. If you step into a junior role, your focus is on recruiting candidates. As a senior recruiter, you go right through the entire process to placement."
Growth within the organization
"A lot has changed in recent years. Think of the market and customers, the growth we have experienced and new colleagues. There have also been changes in our services. In the beginning this was limited to recruitment & selection, but now all forms of recruitment have been added. Currently we offer six services to our clients and work with three contract forms for professionals.
A nice development of this is that, regardless of the recruitment demand of the client, we can offer everything. Think of mediating interim professionals, filling internal projects at clients and deta-permanent constructions. We work with all kinds of clients and receive many requests from clients with whom we have worked before. Investing in relationship management is therefore essential, because you get a lot in return."
Creating career opportunities
"In this market, it is important to focus on quality in recruitment. It's not about quick wins, but building relationships, both with clients and candidates. We want to grow even further, of course, so the commercial part also requires attention because of the changing labor market. So you have to have that drive.
You will find yourself in a commercially driven team, with tremendously fine cooperation. We grant each other success and work together on a customer demand - something you don't see much in this industry. The teamwork, the diversity of services and the many possibilities make Sterksen's strength.
In 2022, we became part of HeadFirst Group. This gave us a large organization behind us. With joint clients, we can work better together and strengthen each other. This in turn creates additional opportunities for the future. For example, if HeadFirst gets a need for permanent recruitment, Sterksen can also contribute to that. There are still many opportunities to explore in that."
Are you interested in a versatile role as a Recruitment Consultant? Then take a look at our vacancies or contact one of our corporate recruiters. And who knows, maybe you will soon start a career at Sterksen that will last for years!
Working at a Great Place To Work
Working at a Great Place To Work
Sterksen - citing our parent organization HeadFirst Group - has received the certification of a Great Place to Work for the second year in a row. "We received an average rating of 8.6 this year, a result to be proud of," says Anouk Verburg, Corporate Recruiter.
Why is certification so important?
"Great Place to Work is a very fine method for soliciting the opinions of colleagues. This allows us to respond to their wishes and needs in order to create an even better working environment. We see that many colleagues fill it in and that they feel the freedom to fill it in honestly. For this year, a number of points have come out again that we can work on."
What has improved from last year?
"Last year we harmonized the terms of employment with those of HeadFirst Group. As a result, among other things, 2 vacation days have been added. In addition, the onboarding is now better arranged with training for starters, there is more focus on our social contribution, diversity and inclusion and there is a personal budget for training."
What are you most proud of?
"There is a culture of pride and togetherness. People work hard at Sterksen, but we also take time to celebrate successes together. Because of this, you notice that everyone is proud of what we achieve together and that people enjoy working here. This is also reflected in the contact with our clients and partners. Colleagues go the extra mile to add that personal touch."
What will you work on next year?
"We have some areas of improvement for the office. We also got a lot of feedback from the colleagues on this. We are going to pick these up this year so that better facilities can be offered. We are also working on a bicycle plan, so that colleagues can purchase a bicycle at an advantage. It's nice if we can offer them this from Sterksen."
Want to experience working at a Great Place To Work for yourself? Check out our vacancies and find the position that suits you perfectly. Want to know more about Sterksen as an employer or a vacancy? Then get in touch with us. We would love to think along with you!
Mediating interim professionals in HR and Recruitment.
Mediating interim professionals in HR and Recruitment.
Interim Solutions is one of the core activities of Sterksen, one of HeadFirst Group's brands. This service includes three disciplines: HR, Recruitment and IT. This broad field offers plenty of opportunities to develop yourself as a recruiter. Want to know more about mediation in the HR and Recruitment sector? You will hear from colleague Jersey Martodikromo, Medior Recruitment Consultant at Sterksen.
From IT to HR and Recruitment
"Sterksen is originally an IT organization. A few years ago HR and Recruitment was added to that, due to the high demand for these assignments. Both from clients and professionals. We still see a lot of growth in these services and therefore expansion of our team is always welcome. In the role of Recruitment Consultant at the Business Unit SIS you are next to the professionals in many conversations with hiring managers, HR managers, business managers and other recruiters. It is hugely important to work on your relationship management: you want to stay in constant contact.
The beauty of this position is that you can really build relationships. You talk to people about what is and is not possible, and together you determine the best approach for an application or the positioning of a professional. The transparency and speed make this the ideal position for me."
Interim versus permanent
That speed is especially characteristic of the interim market. "Interim has short closing times. This requires fast switching and immediate action. This is a big difference from the permanent market, where more time is available to find a suitable candidate. With interim, everything happens in a much shorter time frame. It is therefore necessary to keep a good overview. Every day we discuss with the team what is going on and the status of assignments. Every Friday we evaluate which deals were successful and which were not. That way you also keep things clear for yourself.
This role requires an affinity for acquisition. Looking for new prospects and "cold calling" are part of the job. Every week we take an hour to just put everything down and call around, for example, approaching organizations that have posted job openings via LinkedIn or other channels."
Teamwork makes the dream work
"In this position, you are responsible for the entire process, but you can always consult and spar with the team. When you start with us, you will spend the first three months shadowing a medior or senior colleague. Are you starting as a junior recruiter? Then we offer you the chance to expand your network. For example, you share both contact details in every application, so you increase your visibility in the network. A large network and good visibility is important in this field.
At Sterksen, we like to see where your strengths lie. It is a 360 degree role, but by taking on different tasks, you will find out what you like best. In consultation with the team you can then focus more on that. Together we discuss which assignments appeal to you and where you connect most, in order to create your dream job."
Vision for the future at Sterksen
"There is a tremendous amount of work available within this service. We would like to see our team grow to take on even more. In the future, we also see opportunities to add other areas, such as Marketing. There are plenty of opportunities for growth, both in the organization and on a personal level.
For example, Sterksen is part of HeadFirst Group, together with other intermediaries such as HeadFirst and StarApple. The great thing is that each has its own expertise and we can strengthen each other in this. We are working to cooperate even more with the other recruiters within the group. That is why we regularly visit the headquarters in Hoofddorp to be more visible there as well. This way we build a strong relationship and work as colleagues instead of competitors. Together we are strong and we get even further!"
Does this position appeal to you? Check out our vacancies or contact one of our corporate recruiters. Who knows, maybe you will soon be part of Sterksen and HeadFirst Group!
Enjoy with the Sterksen Incentive Lunch Club
Enjoy with the Sterksen Incentive Lunch Club
At Sterksen we work hard, that's a fact. On the other hand, we get a lot back for our efforts. That is why we like to celebrate successes! Because in addition to performance, we also grant each other a lot. One of the ways we do that is with a Michelin star lunch.
A little competition within the team keeps us on our toes. That's why we recently created the Sterksen Incentive Lunch Club. We look at your contribution within the business units. Each quarter we choose a number of colleagues who score best. You can win for example by achieving as many leads as possible, introducing the highest number of candidates to the client, or delivering excellent performance.
For the third quarter of last year, Jella, Rob, Patricia and Lennert were the first winners. On December 7, they enjoyed a fancy four-course lunch at Restaurant Wolfslaar in Breda. For fourth quarter performance, the win went to Robert, Joost, Monique and Veerle. They were in Houten at Kasteel Heemstede at the end of January.
Eating at a Michelin restaurant is an experience most of us don't get to experience lightly. That's why we find it extra fun to organize this. Everyone gets a chance and we notice a positive "fight" for this win. A great perk of the job!
"Every bite was a true taste sensation"
For the first quarter of this year, there is another round with new chances to win. Can you see yourself at a Michelin star restaurant? Then apply quickly for one of our vacancies and who knows, maybe you will soon be enjoying one of those delicious starred lunches!
The experiences of an RPO professional
The experiences of an RPO professional
With nearly 20 years of experience in recruitment, Joost Hinderdael has seen the inside of many companies. In 2016, he settled in Tilburg and joined Sterksen in Breda. From there, Joost started working for one of the clients. He shares his experiences about this role.
What is your position at Sterksen?
"I am Lead Consultant RPO. In this role, I work for the client McCoy, where I am responsible for all recruitment activities. As an RPO, you meld with and are the face of the client, so to speak. Because of this, I actually wear two hats, McCoy's as well as Sterksen's."
What makes RPO so fun?
"It is a challenge to help the client grow. At my current client, I had the opportunity to contribute to a growth from 40 to about 230 employees! The nice thing is that you not only have an influence on recruitment, but also on business development. Especially with a young company, it's nice to help build that growth. The people you hire also give direction to the direction you want to take.
"As an RPO, you are the face of the client."
In the RPO team, recruiters work at different clients, each in a different type of business. This makes for a rich learning environment. As a lead, you make sure the entire operation runs smoothly. Although I still enjoy being operationally involved, I am increasingly taking on a coaching role. Engaging and training young talent helps expand the business and promotes growth."
What sets Sterksen apart from other employers?
"Sterksen is a nice employer with colleagues who really provide a family feeling. Even though I mainly work at the client's premises, it is nice to drop by Sterksen's office every now and then. The atmosphere is informal, approachable and friendly. You have a lot of freedom to do your work, so it doesn't feel like a corporate environment. Here you see entrepreneurship among employees and you can take on many tasks. It is precisely because of this culture that we are able to gain trust even from large clients. At Sterksen we don't have tight suits and polished stories, but we are human, down-to-earth and realistic."
Curious about open positions at Sterksen? Then take a look at the vacancies.
Looking for a challenging internship in a cozy team? Come do an internship at Sterksen!
Looking for a challenging internship in a cozy team? Come do an internship at Sterksen!
Finding a suitable internship is not always easy. It has to fit your education, there has to be room for your assignment and of course it is nice if you enjoy yourself. Sterksen offers the possibility to design your internship according to your wishes. We asked intern Stef Kerstens about his experience.
Why did you choose Sterksen as your internship site?
"I am studying Human Resource Management and this is my final year. To carry out my graduation project, I was looking for an internship from August to December. Earlier this year I started as a Talent Sourcer at Sterksen - the perfect challenge for me to earn some extra money alongside my studies. I liked this so much that it was a logical step for me to also do my graduation internship here. Fortunately, there turned out to be plenty of room for that."
What makes working at Sterksen so enjoyable?
"I especially like that you have your own responsibility here. They are not constantly looking over your shoulder or tapping you. Feeling autonomous as an intern is not a given at all companies, but here you get the space to do your assignment independently. Once a week I have a meeting with my thesis supervisor to discuss things regarding my assignments.
Furthermore, there is a team meeting every week, where we discuss what everyone has been doing, if you are running into something and where help is needed. You don't have to feel burdened to say things or make suggestions here either. And every Thursday we get training on various IT - topics to make us a little more handy in that area too."
"You can level well with everyone here."
Why is Sterksen the ideal internship?
"At Sterksen there is a cool atmosphere. Not only do we work very hard, there is also room to go crazy together. You can have a good time with young and old. We also have a number of graduates who stayed on after their internship. Sterksen is a great place to start where you can gain a lot of experience. The onboarding program consists of a clear step-by-step plan and various trainings to get to know the organization well. You are taken through everything well and everyone is incredibly involved and helpful. For the time being, I will be right here to further expand my experience."
Are you looking for an internship and do you already see yourself working within the cozy atmosphere at Sterksen? Please contact us for the possibilities.
Continue to develop yourself at Sterksen
Continue to develop yourself at Sterksen
She has now been working at this growing company for almost 10 years, but Julianne Maas is far from bored with Sterksen. Having done several jobs, she still finds challenges in her work. We talked to Julianne about her development within Sterksen.
How did you get started at Sterksen?
"This is my first job, making me the prime example of advancing within an organization: starting at the bottom, to eventually a management position. I started as a Recruitment Consultant, which I did for about 3 years. Then I started combining recruitment with a lead function. Then I became responsible for this Business Unit and now I am part of the Management Team.
My current position is Business Unit Manager IT Recruitment & Executive Search. I am responsible for IT Recruitment (W&S) and Executive Search within a wide variety of clients. Within W&S we focus on the permanent recruitment of IT professionals and in Executive Search we focus on filling crucial senior and management positions (also non-IT). So it's incredibly diverse and challenging."
What makes you love working here so much?
"No day is the same, there is always a lot happening. Sterksen is a very entrepreneurial organization that likes to think out of the box. There are therefore continuous developments going on here. New initiatives or business lines ensure that you stay challenged. There is always an opportunity to specialize in a field or to develop yourself further in your career.
It feels like a small company here, but every day you can walk into larger companies we work with. So you get to many different places. Even now that we are part of a larger organization with HeadFirst Group, there are just more opportunities to enter new companies. We strengthen each other."
"There are always opportunities to develop here."
How is cooperation with the team?
"We set the bar high within Sterksen and want to continuously improve ourselves. Quality is very important to us, but in doing so we make sure we strike the right balance. There is little hierarchy and we do it together. For example, we have a buddy system where you can spar with each other or help out when necessary. Many recruitment agencies work in a more individualistic way.
So it is a very professional organization, but we interact informally. The teams are close and the atmosphere is friendly. We celebrate successes together. All kinds of initiatives are also organized among colleagues, from an evening of sports to drinks or festive activities."
Where do you see growth opportunities for yourself?
"As Business Unit Manager, I feel responsible not only for my own business unit, but ultimately for all of Sterksen. My focus now is on how we can create even better cooperation within the business units. Being one Sterksen together, instead of each unit working on its own. So I'm looking for challenge across the entire organization: to maximize the connectedness, also in the cooperation with HeadFirst Group. After all, with our extensive range of services and many specialists, we are the partner for recruitment."
Would you also like to work at this versatile company with a lot of growth potential? Then take a look at our vacancies to see what positions are currently available.