Boutique HR Recruitment Agency

When it comes to HR recruitment, both boutique and large agencies bring unique strengths to the table. Larger agencies can offer extensive resources and an impressive reach, and are often much better known in the market, which of course can instil confidence. 

However, a boutique agency like Peeq provides a distinct advantage in personalisation, agility and adaptability. We work closely with each client to truly understand their business and the qualities that make a candidate a cultural fit.

By focusing on a smaller number of clients, we can prioritise quality over volume, offering a more tailored and attentive approach. With deep industry relationships and specialised expertise in HR recruitment, we bring flexibility and responsiveness that’s often hard to find at scale. Partnering with Peeq means gaining a dedicated recruitment partner invested in your long-term success, balancing industry reach with the personal touch that’s essential in building lasting, high-impact teams.

A professional recruitment process can range from 2-3 weeks to 6-9 months, depending on factors like the complexity and seniority of the role, the urgency, and the company’s internal selection process. For mid-level HR roles, expect around 45 days from posting to offer, plus any notice period—typically 1 month for junior roles, 3 months for mid-level, and 6 months for senior positions.

Key factors that impact “time to hire” include the speed of CV screening, the number of interview stages, promptness of feedback, stakeholder involvement, assessment requirements, interview formats, and background checks. While senior roles require a more thorough process, an overly lengthy recruitment can frustrate candidates, potentially leading them to withdraw or accept offers from faster-moving employers. Balancing thorough vetting with efficiency is essential to retain top candidates and avoid costly mis-hires.

At Peeq, we’re here to take on the heavy lifting so that the hiring process takes less of your time, not more. Our goal is to streamline every step, making it as efficient as possible for you. That said, a collaborative approach is essential to achieve the best results, and there are a few key areas where your input is crucial:

1. Initial Briefing: We’ll start with an in-depth briefing session, ideally face-to-face or virtually if preferred. Here, we’ll explore every aspect of the role: your expectations, responsibilities, and what the ideal candidate looks like. Even if some details are uncertain, we’re here to help you clarify them so we’re all aligned before starting the search.

2. Process Agreement: Together, we’ll agree on a structured recruitment process, ensuring everyone is clear on timelines, expectations, and the feedback loop. We ask that our clients honor this agreement, providing timely feedback on candidate submissions so we can stay on track and adjust as needed.

3. Insight Sharing: The more open you are about your company culture and team dynamics, the better we can represent your business to candidates and identify those who align well with your vision.

While we value your insights and feedback, our role is to shoulder the workload and help you make the right hire, efficiently and effectively. Partnering with us means that your involvement is strategic, and your time is respected, allowing you to focus on your priorities while we find the best candidate for your team.

Clients have flexibility when it comes to our approach for handling unsuccessful placements. If a candidate leaves within the first 10 weeks of employment, clients can choose our sliding scale rebate, which offers a partial refund that decreases over this 10-week period (in line with our terms and conditions).

Alternatively, we offer replacement guarantees across all three of our permanent hiring packages. This allows clients to select a replacement candidate instead of a partial refund. The replacement guarantee period varies by package:

• Identify: 2 months
• Enhance: 3 months
• Elevate: 6 months

View more info on our prices and permanent recruitment packages

This flexibility ensures that, whether you prefer a partial rebate or a replacement, Peeq has you covered to support your hiring needs effectively.

At Peeq, we understand that cultural fit is as important as skills and experience. To ensure each candidate aligns with your organization, we start with an in-depth briefing to understand your unique team dynamics, values, and work environment.

We assess cultural fit through behavioral interviews and values-based screening, focusing on candidates’ motivations and alignment with your mission. For added insight, we may incorporate psychometric assessments to evaluate personality traits and work preferences. For clients choosing our Elevate package, we also offer post-placement coaching to help new hires integrate smoothly.

Our approach ensures that each candidate not only meets your technical needs but also resonates with your culture, creating a foundation for lasting success.

Using a recruitment agency in HR recruitment will offer many benefits for you and your company. Such as:

• HR Expertise – Deep knowledge of HR roles ensures you get the best fit for your needs.
• Wider Talent Pool – Access to both active and passive candidates increases your hiring options.
• Time & Resource Savings – Streamlined process lets you focus on core business while reducing your recruitment workload.
• Market Insights – Up-to-date knowledge on salary benchmarks and industry trends ensures competitive offers.
• Lower Hiring Risk – Placement guarantees and rigorous vetting reduce the risk of a bad hire.

Hiring an HR professional is a critical decision, and whether you handle the process yourself or use a recruitment agency depends on your time, resources, and expertise. Recruiting directly can save on agency fees and offer full control, but it requires significant effort to source, screen, and assess the right talent. Without access to a large candidate network and market insights, self-recruitment can also lengthen your hiring timeline.

A specialised recruitment agency, like Peeq, can expedite the process by leveraging industry expertise and a broad network to quickly find well-matched candidates who align with your company’s needs and culture. By partnering with an agency, you can reduce hiring risks, improve candidate quality, and save time, making it a smart choice for businesses focused on efficiency and high-quality hires.