Neither channel is universally better. The right answer depends on the role, the market, and how much internal time you actually have.
In-house works when…
- The role has a healthy applicant market and your brand attracts candidates.
- Someone internally owns the pipeline and will work it consistently.
- You are hiring several similar roles, so the process investment amortizes.
A recruiter works when…
- The role is genuinely scarce and requires outbound sourcing.
- The hire is urgent and internal bandwidth is the binding constraint.
- You need discretion, or access to a market you have no presence in.
Running both
Agree candidate ownership rules upfront so you are not paying a fee on someone who applied directly last month. A shared system that records introductions, as JobMedium does, removes the argument entirely.
JobMedium is being built around exactly this kind of clear, recorded working relationship between employers and recruiting firms. Request access to take part in the founding beta.