Why Engaged Recruitment Delivers Better Results for Engineering SMEs

Hiring the right people has never been harder for engineering and manufacturing businesses. Whether you need a Maintenance Manager, a CNC Supervisor, or a Quality Engineer, one wrong hire can cost you months in lost productivity — and thousands in recruitment and training spend.

Most SMEs default to the “no-win, no-fee” model — also known as contingency recruitment — where multiple agencies compete to fill your role. It feels low-risk but often leads to underwhelming results: rushed CVs, misaligned candidates, and high drop-out rates.

There’s a better way: engaged recruitment.

What Is Engaged Recruitment?

Engaged recruitment is a focused, partnership-based model where you commit to working with one specialist recruiter and pay a small upfront fee (typically 25%). In return, the recruiter works exclusively for you — giving your role the time, attention, and market insight it truly needs.

This approach allows your recruiter to:

• Deeply understand your company culture and the role's nuances

• Research and headhunt the best-fit candidates — not just those actively applying

• Act as an ambassador for your business in a competitive talent market

Why Contingency Recruitment Often Fails

Contingency agencies work at speed because they only get paid if they place the candidate first. That means:

• Quantity often trumps quality

• Little time is spent briefing candidates properly

• The focus is on “fast placement,” not “right fit”

Real example: A Leicester-based manufacturer spent three months trying to fill a Production Supervisor role using three different agencies. Each sent 10+ CVs — none suitable. After switching to an engaged model with us, they filled the role in three weeks with a well-matched candidate who is now training for promotion.

Why Engaged Recruitment Wins

With engaged recruitment, the quality of hire improves dramatically. You don’t get 20 CVs to sift through — you get 2–3 high-quality people who’ve been fully assessed for culture, attitude, and technical skills.

Here’s what you gain:

• A shorter, more efficient hiring process

• Access to passive candidates who aren’t job hunting but open to the right move

• Less risk of making a costly bad hire

Did you know? The cost of a poor hire in manufacturing can exceed £20,000, once you factor in wasted training, downtime, and re-hiring. Engaged recruitment helps avoid that.

Invest in a Better Way to Hire

When your machines, people, and production lines depend on the right leadership or skilled technicians, recruitment isn't a volume game — it’s a precision job.

Engaged recruitment gives you the depth and focus your business deserves.