First, all a recruiting firm does is recruit; they typically do not offer other HR services, like drafting job descriptions and onboarding employees. For this reason; however, they are often a great resource because ALL they do is network, network, network with potential candidates, often with those that are more desirable/currently employed. Some clients balk at the standard 20-25% of first year’s salary that recruiters charge, but depending on the position (often those in niche industries), it can be worth it (think of what you would pay someone internally to network and sort through thousands of resumes). Second, as referenced above, recruiters earn a hefty commission. This is why, depending on the position, clients may be better off hiring from job boards and through industry affiliations. This being said, we do routinely partner with recruiters to fill certain roles, with them supplying the candidates and us screening and scheduling interviews. Clients have to be careful to partner with someone they trust; with such a large commission at stake, many recruiters will place anyone with a beating heart, rather than someone who is the best fit. This is one of the reasons why having internal or outsourced HR, to serve as a project manager/intermediary, is important.