So you've elected to outsource a portion of your recruitment process - that's a big step for your company. The demand is certainly justified since you've got lots of open requisitions and hiring managers are crying for quality applicants to fill their positions. All the prospective RPO vendors are asking about the nature of the positions as they seek job descriptions and compensation bands. Obviously their understanding of the open positions is important and the more data they have available will improve their prospecting. Put aside for a moment judging whether they can actually fill the positions you need filled. When you got into conversations with them, how much did they attempt to understand the personality desired for the positions and about the culture of your firm overall? Did they truly grasp your business model and how each role, in some way, contributes to the organization? While some RPO firm's practical fit might look right on paper during the bidding process, ascertaining the overall cultural compatibility between you and your RPO firm is crucial to your mutual success.

(HR Outsourcing consistently emphasizes the need for strong cultural compatibility when selecting the right vendor. The typical demands of cultural compatibility revolve around how well a vendor's representatives assimilate into the client's corporate personality, pace, demands, schedules, vernacular, etc.)

Now think about how the need for a cultural match is magnified when selecting a Recruitment Process Outsourcing partner. Not only is the vendor trying to figure out the nuances of the client environment, but the RPO firm is now on the hook for absorbing the client's culture well enough to attract the next waves of talent to the organization! Adopting the client's corporate culture needs to happen quickly and convincingly.

So, what are some of the indicators companies should look for when selecting an RPO firm to know how good of a "cultural sponge" they can be?

Professionalism during the bid process
Did they communicate well throughout the process? Treat you respectfully, arrive on time, and stick to deadlines on their deliverable schedules during the bid? Did they communicate to your satisfaction in person, by phone and using email? How comfortable were they when handling objections or challenges?

Speaking your Business Language
Did they take the time to understand your business? Did you find their language to quickly mirror yours? Do they have relevant experience in your industry that will expedite the assimilation into your organization? Do they have experience with clients that are experiencing the same challenges faced by your organization?

Metrics/Accountability
Metrics are necessities in outsourcing relationships yet vendors embrace metrics differently. When selecting the right RPO firm, you want the level of detail from metrics to match how your company appreciates the quantitative side of relationships. Did the prospective vendor not only grasp why your suggested metrics are important ("if we do well here it will contribute to the success of my client's business") but suggest appropriate industry metrics that also can help contribute to your success? Are they altogether resistant to metrics?

Technology adoption
Can they plug into what you have? Can they bring what you don't have? Either way, you need someone who understands what you need and trust they have the experience and know-how to deliver it. In addition, they'll need to understand your organization's ability to integrate technology - can they do that?

Thorough Communication
Do they "get" that your organization's hiring managers aren't very technologically savvy and will need more than normal training on the technologies you bring to the table? Do they "get" how much hiring managers were previously involved in recruitment and that it will take many conversations and much time to wean them off their old ways? If an RPO vendor doesn't have the ability to understand and assimilate with your firm's culture - simply from a missed, incorrect, or lack of communication perspective - absolute failure of the engagement is a strong possibility.

Are the RPO's recruiters Full-Time Employees or Contractors
The RPO firm that has full-time associates may have a more loyal following of recruiters who are more familiar with the RPO relationship model. Their commitment to your project also extends beyond the engagement and may have a broader sense of ownership in making sure they help deliver a quality project for you as a client and for their company.

Compliance
EEOC, OFCCP and other areas of compliance in recruitment vary widely by industry and company size. Make sure the RPO firm understands your specific recruitment compliance needs and is not intimidated to go as far as your company is required to go.

References
Seek at least two client case studies to contact ideally similar to your RPO project. Get a feel for the relationship, level of communication, and results realized from their experiences. Did they previously do a good job, or did they do a good job and were well liked?

The X Factor
At the end of the day, if they feel like a vendor they're just a vendor. Getting the right RPO firm means you've found a new business partner - an extension of your own company. At the end of the day, you must be aligned that their success is your success and your success is their success…so, do they comprendo?

By Matt Aprahamian and Brad Cummings, Monument Consulting