How to Find the Right Staff in Singapore: Why Personalised Recruitment Outperforms Job Portals for Quality Hiring

14.08.25 02:00 PM

For Singapore employers struggling with high-volume, low-quality applications from job portals

The Challenge: Why Job Portals Fail Singapore Employers

Singapore business owners ask "What's the best way to hire staff in Singapore?" or "How do I find quality candidates fast?"  Yet, many default to popular job portals.

What are some of the common challenges with using job portals? 

  • Application overload: Receiving 200+ applications where only 5 -10% meet basic requirements
  • No cultural screening: Candidates may have the right skills but wrong mindset for your company
  • Generic matching: Algorithms focus on keyword matching, they do no not assess cultural fit or  actual job performance potential
  • Time wastage: HR teams spend 60% of their time filtering rather than interviewing quality candidates

    • What Is Personalised Recruitment and How Does It Work?

    Personalised recruitment involves partnering with recruitment agencies that provide:

  • Custom talent mapping - Recruiters research your industry, competitors, and ideal candidate profiles
    • Active headhunting - Sourcing passive candidates who aren't browsing job boards
    • Multi-stage screening - Technical assessment + cultural fit evaluation + reference checks
    • Relationship management - Understanding your long-term hiring needs and company growth plans

    Partnering a recruitment agency helps you identify 3 to 5 pre-qualified candidates versus 100+ unfiltered applications.

    When Should Companies Engage Recruitment Agencies for Personalised Recruitment?

    Best for:

  • Senior roles 
    • Specialised technical positions
    • Companies with strong cultural values
    • Start-ups needing cultural fit alongside skills
    • Businesses hiring 1-10 people per quarter

    Use job portals for:

  • Companies with dedicated internal recruiting teams
    • High-volume junior roles
    • Standard administrative positions
    • Temporary or contract work

    How to Choose A Suitable Recruitment Agency in Singapore

    Look for agencies that offer:

    • Industry specialisation in your sector
    • Proven track record with similar company sizes
    • Transparent communication about their process
    • Guarantee periods (typically 2-6 months depending on the role)
    • Local market knowledge and network

    Questions to ask potential recruiters:

    • "How do you assess cultural fit beyond technical skills?"
    • "What's your average time-to-hire for roles like mine?"
    • "What happens if the candidate doesn't work out?"

    The Bottom Line: Cost vs Value in Singapore Hiring

    While partnering a recruitment agency typically costs 15-25% of annual salary (vs 3-5% for job portal subscriptions), the total cost of hire often favours the personalised approach:

    Hidden costs of bad hires:

    • Re-posting of job ads and re-screening of job applicants: $3,000 - $5,000
    • Training time lost: $8,000 - $12,000
    • Impact on team morale: Difficult to quantify but significant

    For Singapore employers asking "How do I hire better staff?" or "What's the fastest way to find qualified candidates?", the answer depends on your specific needs. Job portals work for volume hiring, but partnering a recruitment agency delivers better long-term results.


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