HR & Recruiting: find professionals

HR and recruiting covers recruiters and recruitment agencies, staffing agencies for temporary and contract workers, executive search firms, HR consultants, compensation consultants, payroll services and employee benefits consultants.

Recruiters find and screen candidates for permanent roles, staffing agencies supply temporary or contract workers, and executive search firms handle senior leadership roles. HR consultants help with policies, handbooks, employment standards compliance, pay structures and outsourced HR support.

Some provinces, including Ontario, require temporary help agencies and recruiters to hold a provincial licence. Ask how a recruiter charges, what happens if a new hire leaves early, and how candidates are screened. Group benefits are insurance products, so a consultant who places coverage generally needs an insurance licence. Agree the fee, when it becomes payable and any replacement period in writing before a search begins, and confirm who will contact candidates and how their information is stored.