Why Do Recruitment Agencies Need A Mission Statement?

Why do Recruitment Agencies Need a Mission Statement?

Recruitment agencies help employers find suitable job candidates, so employers can focus on running their business.

Normally, this happens by researching open positions within a company, finding qualified people, screening potential candidates, and doing the rest of the routine work.

However, recruitment agencies have their own staff and talent which needs to stay motivated.

How?

With a mission statement.

Mission statements keep everyone in the recruitment agency on the same page, and direct your agency in the right direction. Without it, it might be really hard to plan for the future and meet your goals.

The Difference Between a Mission Statement and a Vision Statement

A mission statement is a succinct, action-oriented statement that encapsulates the company’s purpose.

You can use it to summarise what exactly your recruitment company does to help employers and potential hires. In a nutshell, you are stating what you do and why you do it.

A vision statement, on the other hand, is exactly what it says on the tin. Its purpose is to provide a description of the future direction of your company – what you and your team are aspiring to. That doesn’t mean that the attainment of your goal is beyond reach, just that it is what you are committed to achieving.

The Benefits of a Mission Statement

The importance of a mission statement cannot be overemphasised. Here’s why:

• Defining your direction: Smart recruitment agencies use their mission statement to remind their team of their purpose and what it is that makes the business successful. A mission statement can help keep your recruitment team on track towards your destination.

• Informing decision making: A transparent mission statement sets a template that enables recruitment agency owners to delegate ethically and responsibly. The statement provides the boundaries you need for thinking and decision-making throughout the agency.

• Attracting appropriate talent: When your mission statement is simple and easily understood, it will help you to attract the most suitable hires. Your mission statement is visible to potential candidates and that means it will draw candidates who feel they are a good fit for your company. It will also attract companies who need help with their recruitment.

• Inspiring focus and productivity: A mission statement must be inspiring so that it will resonate with every member of your agency and potential clients. It must be able to provide meaning. Once it has triggered inspiration, it will enable team members to focus on their tasks.

• Building community: A mission statement can help your recruitment agency and your employees connect with members of your community. This goes a long way to helping you establish a good reputation among your client base and with your business partners.

• Establishing consistency: As your company grows, you will recruit new employees and possibly establish different departments within the organis At each growth step, your business is at risk of losing sight of its purpose. A mission statement can prevent this from happening. Because everyone within your organization is aware of your mission statement, each individual facet of the business is connected and working in tandem. To establish and maintain this consistency, your mission statement should be as clear as possible.

• Shaping company culture: A mission statement is not only useful for presenting guidelines for how your company should act but also how your employees think about their jobs. Company culture is a vital part of employee happiness, retention, productivity, and loyalty. By clearly explaining your company’s purpose and your business values, you can remove any uncertainty that employees have about working for your agency.

• Sending a powerful public message: Don’t underestimate the reach of your mission statement. It’s not merely an internal memo. It is one of the most robust and resilient messages you can send out to the public. Your clients will understand your mission statement as an effective summary of your company values. This is why you must make sure that your statement represents your core values and reaches your intended audience. If it does not, you will need to re-evaluate it.

Who Should a Mission Statement Target?

Your mission statement should target three primary audiences. These are:

• Your customers: to tell them why they should use your agency.

• Your employees: to let them know what you care about.

• Your potential investors: to define what is unique about what you do and why they should invest in your company.

Elements of a Strong Mission Statement

For your mission statement to be powerful, it must have the following elements:

• Simplicity and transparency: Your mission statement should not be too broad or else it will have no substance. It should be objective-focused and articulate your company’s intent properly.

• Clarity and focus: A mission statement should always have a discernible direction. Don’t try to include too much information into it; you risk sounding vague and half-hearted.

• Emotional appeal: Nobody is going to remember a boring mission statement. Infuse it with personality and let it inspire. Try to make an emotional connection with your audience.

• Brand persona: A mission statement is a perfect opportunity to introduce your company to your prospective clients, so make it stand apart from your competitors.

• Endurance: Your mission statement should be set with longevity in mind. It is after all, there for the long haul. Some companies rewrite their mission statement as their company evolves, but in general, you should keep changes to a minimum.

Example Mission Statements

Let’s take a look at some successful recruitment companies’ mission statements:

Manpower Group: “To power the world of work and help the communities in which we live.”

Korn/Ferry International: “To design, build, attract and ignite talent.”

LinkedIn Corp: “Our mission is simple: connect the world's professionals to make them more productive and successful.”

Monster Worldwide Inc: “To help people find better. Not only at work, but in life.”

Insperity Inc: “The mission of Insperity is to help businesses succeed so communities prosper.”

It’s easy to see why these mission statements are so powerful.

Monster, for example, places its emphasis on customer services, while LinkedIn’s mission statement encapsulates their company’s purpose simply and effectively.

Creating your Mission Statement

Developing your recruitment agency’s mission statement can, at first, seem overwhelming. But it’s important to keep a perspective and remember that the most important thing is that it shows your company has a purpose.

Here are a few tips for creating a strong mission statement:

Start with the ‘why’

A good starting point is to create a few sentences as to why your target audience needs or wants your service.

To do this, you will need to be aware of your buyer persona.

Your ‘why’ should also include what makes your recruitment agency stand out from your competitors. This won't necessarily be part of your mission statement, but it helps to clarify your direction.

Define what you do for your clients

It’s a good idea to make a list of the services that you provide for employers and organisations and then you can encapsulate these into just a few words. This exercise can help you to express what makes your recruitment agency special.

Polish and revise: Once you have created your mission statement think of ways you can make it more concise, and easy to remember. It may help to discuss this with your colleagues. Then polish it until it sparkles.

Mission Statement FAQs

What’s the best length for a mission statement?

Mission statements typically vary in length from one to four sentences. They should be concise and efficient. Bear in mind that shorter mission statements are easier for your employees and clients to remember.

What are the main qualities of a powerful mission statement?

A powerful mission statement should use language that is simple and compelling. It should have the following characteristics:

• Encouragement

• Persuasion

• Achievability

• Strategy

• Uniqueness

How often should a business update its mission statement?

Some companies retain their initial mission statement. Other companies update their mission statement as they grow. You should avoid changing your mission statement too much or too often as this could cause confusion, destabilise your brand, and have a negative impact on employee commitment.

What questions can help me form my mission statement?

There are four main questions that your mission statement should answer:

• What does our company do?

• How do we do it?

• For whom do we do it?

• What value are we providing?

Don’t overthink your mission statement.

If you’re struggling for ideas, take a look back at the earlier examples and notice how they convey their goals and ideals.

Remember to convey your company’s vision and passion in a reassuring way.

Once you have it written down, do take the time to tweak it until it’s just right. Get someone else to review your mission statement before you make it public so you can get some objective feedback.

After that, you will be ready to show it to the world!