For decades, recruitment agencies have relied on the cold call and the candidate float - sending CVs to employers whether they asked for them or not. But employers are increasingly tuning out, and the traditional model is showing its age.
The Problem with the Float
From my own years on agency desks, and from comparing notes with recruiters since, an agency recruiter meets around 400 candidates a year, roughly ten a week across a working year. Fewer than 5% are ever placed under current float-based models. Labour hire desks meet far more again for the same handful of placements. The math is brutal: 380 out of 400 candidates remain invisible to the market despite being skilled, available, and job-ready.
The float wastes everyone's time - recruiters spend hours on business development instead of candidate care, and employers receive unsolicited CVs they rarely read.
The Marketplace Alternative
Neutral vendor marketplaces flip the model. Instead of pushing candidates to employers, agencies list their available talent in a structured, searchable platform where employers come to them.
This means:
- Recruiting teams focus on candidate management and service - what they do best
- Candidates get discovered based on skills and capability, not who happened to get a phone call
- Employers search in real time for exactly the profile they need
- No double-ups: candidates sign for exclusive representation
Real Results for Agencies
Agencies on marketplace platforms report:
- Reduced time spent on business development by 60%+
- Higher placement rates as candidates are seen by more employers
- Stronger employer relationships built on service quality rather than sales persistence
- Access to diversity-tagged employer demand for social procurement targets
Built Into Your ATS
Find Your People is designed to integrate with major ATS platforms, making listings fast and seamless. A few clicks, and your candidates are visible to a national marketplace of employers actively searching for contingent and contract talent.
Sources: Industry data on agency placement rates and contingent workforce trends.