A staffing agency is an organization that matches job seekers with companies looking to fill their open positions. A staffing agency saves companies and candidates time by completing the essential but time-consuming employment search and human resource duties.
Working with a staffing agency is an excellent choice since they provide additional opportunities and find highly qualified candidates that you may not otherwise find. They essentially are the middle man between job seekers and companies needing to fill their open positions.
Here we’ll go over how staffing agencies work, the services they provide, and how it will benefit you as a job seeker or as an employer.
Staffing agencies can be viewed as matchmakers in the employment industry. They match job seekers with employers looking to fill their open positions. They handle the leg work to find and vet candidates that are an excellent fit for their clients. Staffing agencies offer many essential human resource services such as:
Write a job description – Writing a job description that clearly defines your open position is critical to find candidates to bring qualified candidates. A staffing agency will write the job description for your company to ensure it fits your open position correctly to attract top talent.
Headhunt – A staffing agency does the time-consuming headhunting work to find qualified job seekers for open positions. They review resumes and conduct initial interviews to weed out unqualified applicants. They only bring you top candidates who are qualified for your position that you can interview and make the final decision of who you want to hire.
Pre-employment screenings – A staffing agency completes pre-employment screenings, including background checks, employment verification, drug screenings, and verifying references to ensure the candidates are creditable.
Interview ready – A staffing agency will help job seekers prepare for interviews to ensure they walk in confident and land the job. They can conduct mock interviews and practice interview questions and answers with the candidate.
Position hunting – Not every open position in your field is right for you. A staffing agency will spend the time to find the best position for you to get you the job of your dreams.
Get you in the door – Working with a staffing agency means you have a recruiter on your side to get you in the door and an interview with a company and position that you want.
The services of a staffing agency offer benefits to both job seekers and employers. To get the most out of your staffing agency, it’s best to be honest, clear about your wants and needs, and keep communication open. Let’s go over all of the benefits of working with a staffing agency.
Save time – Finding qualified candidates is a time-consuming task. The staffing agency will handle the entire headhunting process so your internal staff can spend time on other essential duties and core business functions.
Staffing agency recruiters are experts and know what to look for in a good match which helps avoid wasting time on unqualified candidates. The staffing agency will handle the pre-employment screenings, saving you the time and money it takes to complete.
Fill positions quickly – Many staffing agencies have an existing network of quality job seekers, which helps employers fill their open positions quickly. If the right candidate isn’t currently in their talent pool, they will do the necessary work to find qualified professionals fast.
Hire higher-quality candidates – Top professionals like working with staffing agencies as it helps them find the position they’re seeking quickly. An employer benefits from working with a staffing agency by gaining access to high-quality job seekers that they may not have been able to find on their own.
Staffing agencies also understand the importance of company culture and ensure every hire fits well within the company long-term. Only the right employees will add to your company’s growth and success, so it’s vital to choose wisely.
Long-term employee placement – Staffing agencies are experts and know what to look for when matching candidates with employers to ensure they’re a good fit long-term. It takes more than the right skills and experience to make a good match, and staffing agencies recruiters know the questions to ask to deeply understand job seekers and the business, its needs, goals.
Reduce cost – Having a recruitment team in-house is costly. The office space, employment ads, software, and other resources are required. Putting the recruitment process in the hands of an experienced staffing agency is a cost-effective solution.
Save time – Looking for employment can be a full-time job. Writing a resume, networking, looking through hundreds of job postings, applying, following up, interviewing, and following up again all can be exhausting and frustrating at times. A staffing agency handles the time-consuming job search for you, saving you time so you can focus on preparing for the interview.
Find your perfect match – Staffing agencies do the work to find you the position you are a good match for based on your skills, training, and experience and ensuring you would fit within the company’s culture.
Finding the perfect position with a company you fit in well with adds to your job satisfaction and long-term employment. A staffing agency works with you to understand your career goals to ensure the positions they present to you have the opportunities you’re looking for.
Gain employment quickly – Staffing agencies have clients in various industries that are currently looking to fill their open positions, so they are likely to find you excellent opportunities quickly. Recruiters at staffing agencies are pros at searching for the best position that fits your skills and qualifications so you can get gainfully employed in the role you desire in a short time.
No cost – Some job seekers think it costs money to work with a staffing agency. Employers cover the cost of a staffing agency’s service, making it completely free for a job seeker to work with one to find a great career.
Some staffing agencies only offer long-term placement, while others provide a variety. There are staffing agencies that offer flexible solutions depending on their clients’ needs. Here are some of the placement roles offered:
Long-term hire – This type of hire is planned to last long-term with no set end date, so the staffing agency looks for job seekers looking for permanent placement.
Short-term or temporary hire – This type of placement is only expected to work until the end date set by the employer. Seasonal companies commonly hire temporary workers as they only need help during specific seasons. Other companies have projects or additional work that they need help with until the project gets completed, then the position ends.
Temp to hire – This type of hire is brought on for a company to try out an employee to ensure they perform and work well with the company. The business leaders then can choose whether they want to hire the employee permanently or end the contract with the individual.
Not all staffing agencies will be a good fit for your company and your open positions. Some staffing agencies solely focus on specific industries or positions. You’ll want to choose the right staffing agency that fits your needs to ensure you find the qualified employees you need quickly. Here’s what to look for in a staffing agency:
– What industries do they serve
– What’s their experience and success rate
– What’s their recruitment process
– How do they screen candidates
– Do they offer other staffing solutions
So, what is a staffing agency? A staffing agency helps job seekers get into their dream careers and helps businesses fill their open positions with qualified professionals. Working with a staffing agency allows for an easier and less time-consuming process for job seekers and employers looking to fill open positions.
Staffing agencies have the experience and knowledge to know what to look for in a good match. A staffing agency will guide both individuals and employers through the interview and hiring process to ensure success. Working with a staffing agency helps you find your perfect match quickly, making working with one an excellent choice for job seekers and employers.
Sources:
Why You Should Have Job Descriptions | SHRM
Why Corporate Culture Is Becoming Even More Important | Forbes
The Hiring Manager’s Guide to Hiring the Right Person – Business Guides | NY Times