Table of Contents

 

Understanding Caretaker Recruitment Costs

The three main recruitment methods available to you when hiring caretakers for temporary and permanent positions are:

  • Do-it-yourself
  • General recruitment agencies
  • TIB Services, the only specialist recruitment agency dedicated to school site staffing


To find the most cost-effective caretaker recruitment solution, it's essential to evaluate the true costs of each approach. While some methods may appear cost-effective at first glance, hidden expenses—such as compliance, training, and staff time—can add up. These need careful consideration, especially if your recruitment needs are for temporary cover during staff absences. 


Below, we break down the pros and cons of each approach to help you find the right fit for your needs.

Do-it-Yourself Recruitment: High Effort, High Risk

At first glance, this may seem like the most cost-effective way to hire caretaking candidates, but it demands a significant investment of time and effort. The risks are also high—if the new hire leaves within the first few days or weeks, you'll be forced to restart the recruitment process, repeating all the time, effort, and costs. In the long run, this approach could turn out to be far more expensive.

Pros:

  • Full control over the hiring process
  • No agency fees


Cons:

  • Costs of job advertising
  • Significant time investment and effort are needed for screening, interviewing, KCSIE-vetting and training during the recruitment process
  • High on-costs
  • There may be a delay before the successful candidate can make an impact if they need to complete training during the first few days of their contract
  • Risk of hiring someone who isn’t the right fit, resulting in high costs for repeated hiring cycles


If you do decide this is the best route for your school, read our guide to interviewing school caretakers for some top tips and example interview questions.

General Recruitment Agencies: High Cost, High Risk

General recruitment agencies will have higher upfront costs than handling recruitment yourself, but they can save you time. However, their lack of specialised expertise in the education sector increases the risk of hiring unsuitable candidates, potentially leading to extra costs and disruptions. Over time, this could prove to be a very expensive option.


Pros:

  • Wider candidate pool
  • Reduces in-house hiring workload


Cons:

  • Lack of understanding of school-specific challenges and the qualities that make an ideal caretaker candidate
  • No pre-vetting or specialist caretaker training included
  • Higher risk of turnover, leading to additional recruitment costs
  • On-costs remain the responsibility of the school

 

TIB Services: Low Effort, Low Risk

While paying agency fees may initially seem more expensive than handling recruitment yourself, our expertise in the education sector allows us to understand your specific challenges and the key qualities that make an excellent caretaker candidate. This ensures we find the right fit for your school the first time. We also take on the administrative burden throughout the entire recruitment process— from attracting the right candidates and conducting interviews to KCSIE vetting and training—helping to reduce hidden costs. We’re confident in the quality of our candidates, but if you feel the operative we place isn’t the right fit, we can swiftly tap into our candidate pool to find a replacement, without incurring additional hiring costs.


Pros:

  • Deep understanding of what makes an excellent school caretaker, so you are highly likely to find the right fit for your school first time
  • No additional expense needed to pre-vet candidates to KCSIE standards as this is already included
  • Training provided before placement, ensuring caretakers are job-ready from their start date
  • Avoid high on-costs as this is handled by TIB
  • Saves schools time and reduces hiring risks
  • Free temp-to-perm option available (please ask about conditions)


Cons:

  • Perceived higher cost over DIY recruitment

 

"Our experience of working with the TIB office team has been excellent. They have shortened the time scales for recruiting staff with the necessary skills for our needs.”

Tom Gaffney, Senior Site Manager at The Harmony Trust
Read their case study

 

Choosing the Right Caretaker Recruitment Solution for Your School

The comparison table below provides a summary of the key elements to factor into your caretaker recruitment costs:

A comparison table noting the time and financial costs involved with recruiting schools caretakers


As the table shows, while DIY recruitment and general recruitment agencies may initially appear to offer cost or time advantages, hidden costs such as compliance, training, on-costs, and the financial impact of high turnover can ultimately make them more expensive. As the UK’s only specialist caretaker recruitment agency, we recognise the time and cost implications of these challenges, which is why we offer:

  • Reliable and highly skilled candidates
  • KCSIE-compliant, trained caretakers who are ready to make a positive impact from their start date
  • Time and cost savings for school staff during the recruitment, vetting and training processes


For schools and MATs looking for cost-effective caretaker recruitment solutions without the hassle, our specialist service ensures you get the right caretaker, ready to hit the ground running. Learn more.

Discuss your recruitment needs with our specialist team for a personalised quote

Contact us today