Recruitment in the agriculture sector has always come with its own unique challenges. Whether you’re a farmer looking for a capable operator, a farm manager building a team, or a consultant advising clients on business growth, finding the right people is rarely straightforward.

Over the past few years, the conversation has shifted. Skill shortages, evolving technology, changing candidate expectations, and increased competition for talent means that hiring is no longer just about placing an advert and waiting for applications.

As someone working closely with both candidates and employers across the sector, I’m often asked: when and why should we use a recruitment consultant? And is it only really for larger businesses?

Is using a recruitment consultant just for big businesses?

In short: no. While larger farming businesses and agri-corporates may use recruitment consultants regularly, many smaller and family-run farms are increasingly seeing the value too. In fact, in some cases, they benefit the most.

Smaller businesses often don’t have:

• Dedicated HR support

• Time to manage a full recruitment process

• Access to a wide candidate network

That’s where a specialist recruiter can step in. Not to replace your knowledge of your own business, but to complement it.

For example, a progressive family farm looking to hire a farm manager might only recruit at that level once every 10–15 years. A recruiter, on the other hand, is speaking to farm managers every day. That access to the market can make a significant difference throughout the process from sourcing candidates right through to onboarding and beyond.

When should you consider using a recruiter?

There’s no one size fits all answer, but there are some clear scenarios where using a recruitment consultant can add real value:

When the role is business-critical: Hiring a farm manager, senior operator, agronomist or specialist role isn’t something you want to get wrong. The cost of a poor hire, both financially and operationally, can far outweigh the cost of getting it right the first time.

When time is limited: Farming doesn’t stop for recruitment. If you’re in the middle of harvest, drilling, or a busy seasonal period, it’s not always realistic to dedicate time to shortlisting, screening, and interviewing.

When you’re not getting the right applicants: If you’ve advertised and only received unsuitable or underqualified candidates, it may be a sign that: the role isn’t reaching the right audience, the job brief needs refining, or the salary/package isn't aligned with the market. A recruiter can help sense-check and reposition the opportunity.

When discretion is important: There are countless situations that require acting sensitively. Whether that be due to succession planning, replacing an existing employee, or business restructuring, confidentiality matters! A recruiter can articulate discreet conversations with their network, and we can adjust our processes to suit the needs of your business, like using NDAs for example.

When you want access to passive candidates: Some of the best people in agriculture aren’t actively applying for jobs or scrolling through job boards. They’re busy, settled, and performing well but may be open to the right opportunity. Recruiters spend a lot of time building relationships with these individuals and often know when to reach out to them with the right opportunity.

What does a recruitment consultant actually do?

There can be a misconception that recruiters simply “send CVs across.” In reality, a good consultant should act as a partner throughout the process.

Typically, that includes:

• Taking a detailed brief on the role, business, and culture. We often attend site visits to really understand this culture and spend time knowing what type of professional will fit your business.

• Attending networking and industry events, to further our industry knowledge and grow our network.

• Advising on salary, benefits, and market conditions. We undertake our own salary surveys, as well as being able to provide live examples based on job type, location and experience.

• Actively searching for suitable candidates (not just advertising).

• Screening and interviewing candidates before presenting them.

• Meeting candidates face to face to understand their character and abilities.

• Managing communication and expectations on both sides.

• Supporting the offer process and any negotiations that may be necessary.

• Assisting with onboarding and retention considerations.

• Keeping in touch with both parties after the candidate begins employment and being there to handle any difficult conversations.

From my experience, the most successful placements happen when there is a strong, open relationship between recruiter and client and where both sides are aligned on what “good” looks like.

What might it cost?

Cost is often one of the biggest questions, and understandably so.

Most agricultural recruitment agencies work on a contingency basis, meaning you only pay if you successfully hire someone they introduce. Fees are typically calculated as a percentage of the candidate’s annual salary. The fee is only charged once the candidate starts employment with you.

For our exclusive service, the 'no win; no fee' arrangement can be the same as the contingent service. The difference is that we are appointed as the sole recruiter working on the vacancy for an agreed period of time, generally 2-4 weeks. This exclusivity enables us to carry out a more focused search of the full candidate market and a more thorough comparison of shortlisted candidates against the requirements of the role and business. We can also allocate more internal resourcing power to the campaign.

In other cases, often for more senior positions, we’re able to offer our executive search service, also known as a retained or headhunt option. This is the next step up and typically comes into play when we are recruiting at main board or C suite level, or perhaps when any role is very niche or highly confidential.

In this scenario a portion of the projected fee is invoiced at the start of the process. This allows us to spend time mapping your market and competitors.

While this can feel like a significant investment upfront, it’s worth considering the broader picture:

• The time saved on managing the process

• The reduced risk of a poor hire

• The access to a wider and often higher-quality talent pool

In many cases, especially for senior or hard-to-fill roles, the return on investment is clear.

Once shortlisted we put each candidate through rigorous interviewing and psychometric testing to give you a better understanding of each candidate and help match to your team, providing you with an excellent shortlist. We’re able to produce Candidate Information Packs, progress reports and other tools to help understand the market.

How to get the best from a recruiter

Like any professional relationship, you tend to get out what you put in. A few simple steps can make a big difference:

1. Be clear on your expectations - What skills, experience, and personal attributes are essential to you?

2. Be open to feedback - The market may not always align with expectations around salary, availability, or experience. Honest conversations early on can save time later.

3. Move efficiently - Good candidates don’t stay on the market for long. A slow process can mean missing out.

Agriculture is built on people. As the industry continues to evolve, attracting and retaining the right talent will only become more important and more competitive.

If you’d like to discuss our services further or to chat through the current agricultural market, please reach out.