Staffing Agencies: The Win-Win-Winning Outcome
I made a new friend at the beginning of the year. Yay! I love meeting new people, but especially making a new friend.
My new friend moved to San Diego from out of state. She easily found a place to stay and roommates. She was doing well with her job search, having gone to a 4-year college which had a great career center. She graduated with a communication major.
We had gone out to lunch one day and I asked how the job search was going. She had a really good job opportunity where she made it to the third interview. Wow! That's wonderful news. Unfortunately, although she was a very strong candidate the company decided to go with someone else. Gosh! I know those deep sinking words, "We've decided to go with someone else," having heard them many times in my own journey. They can be crushing words. You know it's "just" business. It's not "personal." And yet, that does not help you feel any better, especially when you know you were so close.
I remember asking her if she had tried going through a staffing agency. She said. "No, that would be something you do as a last resort" where she came from. I replied that it was not the case in San Diego. I've used and would completely recommend staffing agencies. After all, it's a win-win-win scenario.
So, what are the benefits of going through a staffing agencies and why is it a win-win-win outcome?
The client/company gets a good candidate that has been vetted.
The candidate/employee is qualified and a great fit for the company. She or he gets a great job and possibly a career path.
The staffing agency gets paid by the client for placing a good candidate with them.
If you don’t know anything about staffing agencies, I would describe it as going to a specialist. Staffing agencies are organizations that earn a fee for placing a candidate/job seeker with a client/company. Staffing agencies usually specialize in an industry or industries, such as executive, accounting, engineering, medical, etc.
So, if I have a Mercedes Benz or Porsche that needed repair, I would take it to these dealerships. If I want my hair done, I go to my hairstylist. If I want pizza, I order from a pizza place I know makes it the way I like. A staffing agency works with clients/companies from particular industries, and candidates/job seekers can also see from the agencies website what industries they work with for the jobs they are looking to be placed in.
There are several opportunities for both the candidate and client. The client can choose to work on a temporary assignment that has a start and end date. They can choose to work on a temp-to-hire assignment, giving both the candidate and client an opportunity to determine if this is the right fit. The company is seeing if you would work well with what the company needs in that role and the job seeker would also have a chance to see if the this the company that will meet their career goals. While a direct-hire position is an opportunity for you to be placed in a permanent position with the company. You go through an interview process with the company with which the agency recruited you.
How does it all work?
A company calls the staffing agency about a job opening, which can fall under any of the temp, temp-to-hire, or direct-hire positions. At this point the company becomes the agencies client. The staffing agency will look at their current pool of candidates or job seekers and may also post the position to get a wider pool. The staffing agency does all of the vetting, such as interviews the job seeker, pre-employment testing, and background check. The agency will then promote you or sell you to the client. The staffing agency acts as the recruiter. If you get places either on an assignment or a permanent position, the company receives a fee from the client. Most staffing agency services are free to the job seeker.
How does the client/company benefit from working with a staffing agency?
Experience related to job knowledge and career trends
Experts in specific industries
Experience with recruitment practice
Industry experience
Staffing agencies vet the job seekers, which can save the employer the cost of posting a job, interviewing, pre-employment testing, reference checks, or drug screening
Staffing agencies have a greater pool of job seekers ready to fill roles in temp, temp-to-hire, or permanent placement opportunities
Save money on payroll and benefits when hiring for temporary assignments
Cut down on turn-over
Help find the right fit for the position
Move fast at filling a position
Build relationship with their clients for future job openings
How does the job seeker/candidate benefit from working with a staffing agency?
Job seekers can get training and career coaching through the staffing agency
They save time by having the agency do the recruiting for them
Candidates only accept jobs they are interested in
Get resources and training and can brush up on their skills for free; such as software skills in Microsoft Word, resume tips, or interview prep
Get experienced knowledge about the job, industry, culture of the company
Have opportunities to jobs that are never posted by the employer
May get benefits from the agency, such as health insurance or retirement plans
Can be a bridge to a permanent position/career path
Agencies can let you know the skills that are required in an industry to help you succeed
Can provide you with jobs to help you get the experience you need for the job you want and advance your career
Gain a wider network, by meeting new people to broaden your professional and personal references
Help you get your foot in the door to a company you are interested in
Have exposure to and relationship with various companies that you might not otherwise have had the opportunity to work for
As you can see, the relationships staffing agencies build help both their clients and the candidates seeking jobs. It is their expertise in their field that helps them find a good match and creates the win-win-win scenario!
My friend, Cherie Owen, works for Randstad staffing agency, and has assisted me with the background for this blog. If you’d like to find out more or have questions about working with a staffing agency, I am available to help answer questions and point you in the right direction that may help set you on your next career path. You never know what is behind the door, unless you open it. It might just be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.
“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another,
as good stewards of the manifold of God. 1 Peter 4:10
