By Whitney Oesting, Vice President, Modular Delivery, RPO, KellyOCG & Sevenstep
Talent acquisition is a moving target. Hiring volumes fluctuate, and company milestones like expansions, product launches, or reorganizations continually create new talent needs. Time-to-hire, costs, candidate quality, and hiring manager satisfaction are ongoing challenges, and solving them requires agility. How do you pivot effectively?
A modular recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) solution offers a flexible answer. Modular RPO lets you leverage your provider’s full array of services — consulting, training, project recruiting, market research, or technology as demand arises. You get tailored support for the challenge at hand and only pay for what you need, with the ability to drop or swap services as requirements evolve.
Today, modular RPO is gaining traction across organizations, large and small. Mid-sized firms can tap into advanced RPO capabilities previously reserved for large enterprises, and large companies can engage in targeted services without locking into lengthy contracts.
With almost every RPO provider offering modular solutions, selecting the right partner can be a daunting task. Comparing features alone isn’t enough. To ensure the right outcome, focus on the client experience and ask the questions that matter to you.
Will I have more clarity or a new layer of complexity?
Modular RPO should provide simplicity: one invoice, a main point of contact, and a unified process for managing everything. Yet, that’s not always the reality. I’ve heard workforce leaders say, “I hired our provider to solve problems, but now I have more work than before.” Fragmented service delivery — separate stakeholders, redundant communications, multiple invoices — creates unnecessary client burdens.
The right partner will integrate all services into a single, streamlined experience. You should avoid a provider whose “modular” solution splits engagements across different teams and processes, forcing you to coordinate feedback or juggle sparate reporting and billing. True modular RPO should reduce, not increase, your management workload.
Will I have an expert by my side, or will I make strategic decisions alone?
Many providers boast an impressive menu of capabilities, but a list doesn’t get to the root of your talent challenges or how to solve them. The most valuable RPO partner acts as an advisor from the start, not just an order-taker. They help uncover pain points, set priorities, and bring industry insight — supporting you through planning, execution, and iterative improvement.
Expert guidance means having a partner who proactively shapes solutions and offers data-driven recommendations, from diagnosing market issues to revealing hidden opportunities. Before you commit, ask providers for real examples of strategic problem-solving, not just recitations of service breadth.
Case in point: Integrating multiple TA processes
A global technology solutions company, hampered by fragmented talent acquisition after multiple mergers, partnered closely with our RPO team to align its strategy. We streamlined workflow, standardized recruitment stages, and used market intelligence to drive results.
The outcome: over 100 hires in 90 days (beating the client’s target by nearly 30%), agency use halved, and time to accept reduced from 90 to 49 days.
The collaborative, expert-driven approach delivered better results than the company could have achieved on its own, building lasting trust between the client and KellyOCG.
Will I have flexibility, or will I be forced to wait to engage different services?
Flexibility depends on your provider’s infrastructure. Some vendors advertise a broad offering but lack the staff or systems to deliver quickly when you need a change. The ability to mobilize recruiters, consultants, or specialty resources on short notice — sometimes across global markets — is key to meeting evolving demands.
A robust RPO partner provides the bandwidth and structure required to ramp up or down as you need. They can deploy project teams, deliver specialized training, or launch consulting support rapidly, ensuring you never get stuck waiting for resources.
Case in point: Boosting internal mobility
To kick off an internal mobility initiative, a healthcare client invited top employees to a career coaching program as part of their annual incentive trip. The RPO team delivered tailored coaching with interview preparation, networking strategies, and personal brand development.
Over 150 coaching sessions yielded high satisfaction, and participants were 50% more likely to secure internal opportunities compared to others. The client benefited from a flexible service efficiently launched outside the provider’s core recruitment offering, boosting engagement and filling roles more effectively.
Getting the most from your modular RPO solution.
The right talent solutions partner streamlines your projects, provides expert guidance, and minimizes client effort. Look for modular RPO providers that combine robust infrastructure with a commitment to seamless delivery: one invoice, one contact, and the ability to adapt rapidly to your changing needs.
Prioritize partners focused on integration and transparency, as these qualities ensure your organization gets maximum value and minimal hassle. Basic peace of mind — knowing that your TA function can pivot smoothly as priorities shift — is essential. Make it a priority in your selection process and establish a partnership built for success and resilience.
