When to Build Your Own Recruiting Team—and When to Use an Agency

As companies grow, one of the biggest questions leadership teams face is:
“Should we hire an internal recruiter or partner with an agency?”

The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. It depends on your hiring volume, the types of roles you're filling, and how strategic you want your recruiting function to be.

Let’s break down the difference—and when it makes sense to build vs. borrow.

When to Build Your Own Recruiting Team

An in-house recruiter can be a game-changer—when the time is right.

✅ You’re hiring in volume
If you’re filling 10–20+ roles per quarter consistently, it often makes financial sense to bring someone in-house who can manage pipelines, own the process, and partner closely with hiring managers.

✅ You need someone embedded in your culture
In-house recruiters are immersed in your values, team dynamics, and product. They can help shape job descriptions, influence employer branding, and refine your internal process.

✅ You want to build long-term systems
If you’re investing in an ATS, structured interviews, or building an employer brand from scratch, an internal team can own and optimize those systems over time.

When to Use an Agency

Agencies aren’t just for companies who can’t afford in-house recruiting. They’re strategic partners—especially when you need flexibility, speed, or specialized expertise.

✅ You’re scaling quickly and need instant firepower
Startups and PE-backed companies often need to hire yesterday. Agencies can drop in, ramp fast, and bring an existing network.

✅ You have tough-to-fill roles
Niche positions or senior-level searches require deeper sourcing, discreet outreach, and more targeted messaging—things agencies live and breathe.

✅ You need to flex up or down based on hiring cycles
Internal teams are fixed costs. Agencies let you scale your recruiting resources up or down based on need—without carrying overhead when hiring slows.

✅ You want to try before you build
Not ready to commit to a full-time recruiter? An agency lets you test what kind of support you really need—without hiring too soon or too big.

Sometimes the Answer Is: Both

Plenty of companies use a hybrid model: in-house recruiters focus on high-volume or evergreen roles, while agencies are tapped for executive search, confidential backfills, or spike hiring.

The key is knowing what problem you’re solving—and choosing the right tool for the job.

Final Thought:

Bringing on a recruiter is like bringing on a product manager for hiring. You need the right timing, the right roadmap, and the right resourcing. Whether you build or borrow, your goal should be the same: find the best people—faster, smarter, and with less friction.

Need help figuring out what makes sense for your team? We’re happy to talk it through—no pitch, just perspective.