Frequently asked questions

Companies turn to staffing agencies for many reasons; to find the best candidate, save time, reduce costs, or respond to rapid shifts in business. Here, we are outlining the most common reasons that companies use the unique solutions offered by staffing agencies.

Temporary Staffing

Temporary Staffing offers flexibility to increase staff quickly while maintaining the ability to also reduce staffing levels when necessary without incurring increased costs of unemployment insurance.  It also serves as an excellent buffer to keep up with workloads while you search for the perfect long term candidate or to cover while your employee is out for vacation or extended leave. 

Temp to Hire Staffing

Many companies today choose to hire on a temp to hire basis. There are numerous good reasons. Temp to hire staffing allows you the benefit of filling a role quickly with a qualified candidate while reducing liability. Many people also appreciate the chance to "try before you buy" so you can mitigate on-boarding time and expense. 

Direct Hire Placement

When you need that perfect person to fill a key role, Direct Hire Placement is the solution to identify and attract the best candidates while saving your time and tapping into deep, and sometimes niche networks of professionals. Many Direct Hire Recruiters spend years developing these relationships so they know the players you are looking for. Direct Hire Placement involves a comprehensive process of understanding your need to gain a clear vision of the individual skills, attributes and credentials necessary to fill the job perfectly. Direct Hire Placement is the ideal solution when a position is mission critical, time sensitive, or confidential.

Most staffing companies will provide a level of consultation on a complimentary basis. If you are unsure if you would benefit from using a staffing agency, we recommend calling two or three in order to gather advise that you can build consensus around. In most cases, the cost-benefit analysis will make a strong case for using an agency to help you hire however there are times when it is advisable to try hiring on your own first. If you are experiencing retention or engagement issues with your current employee population, a staffing agency has the expertise to help you troubleshoot the issues and they can guide you through the process to solve the problem.

If you have not tapped your own network or looked to your current employees for referrals, we recommend holding off on calling a staffing agency. Employee referrals are often the best way to hire as they give you access to people who are likely to have the same values and work ethic that you already appreciate from your current employees.  Also, experience shows that when an employee referral is hired into the company, it helps to build stronger bonds from the referring employee as well as the newly hired employee. This will help your engagement and retention in the long run.  

Staffing Agency Recruiters make it their business to be experts in attracting, interviewing, screening and making placements based on matching criteria. Their pool of talent is expansive because they are interviewing all day, every day.  A good Recruiter will present you with a 360 degree view of a candidates fit with your job requirement. Be sure you are working with a Recruiter who you trust to be honest with you about potential red flags. 

As a general rule, Staffing Agencies stay on the cutting edge of new technology so they can find candidates faster than the competition. Time is of the essence in the staffing world so they are always adding candidates to their pipelines in order to be ready to help you hire quickly. Most Staffing Agencies also use numerous screening tools to assess personality, skills and aptitudes. This information is available to help you going into the interview process with a candidate so you know what to look for and what has already been covered.  Good Recruiters are also very well-versed in interviewing techniques and they have a finely tuned intuitive sense about people. Make sure you take full advantage of what your Recruiter has to offer by asking probing questions about the candidates they present to you. 

Yes. Most Staffing Agencies guarantee their placements for 30 days with a 100% refund for Direct Hire Placements. Some offer extended guarantees. If this is an area of concern for you, ask the Staffing Agency if they are willing to negotiate with you. In many cases, they are willing to do so.  It's important to note that Temporary Staffing generally offers a 24 to 48 hour guarantee rather than the 30 days that is customary with a Direct Hire Placement. The reason for this is because Temporary Staffing and Temp to Hire Staffing already have a "try before you buy" benefit that is inherent in the model. That said, if you don't feel the Temporary employee who was recommended to you is the right person for you, let your agency know right away. If it is within the first 24 to 48 hours, most agencies will not even charge you for the payroll cost of the employee much less any fee.

Cost-Benefit Analysis is something you can request from a Staffing Agency and most are happy to provide this to you. The Cost-Benefit Analysis will give you a comparison of the direct cost difference and then factor in the total investment of time and elimination of liability in order to provide a comprehensive picture for you to evaluate. Depending on your specific circumstances such as attrition and turnover rate, benefit expenses, time to hire, and cost of hire ratios, you may see significant cost savings or a relatively even comparison. In rare cases, you may be looking at spending more money to use a staffing agency in which case you'll have to decide if the benefits the Staffing Agency provides to you, out-weights the cost.

Most Staffing Agencies have specific categories of jobs that they specialize in. Temporary, Contract, or Contingent Workers, as they are also referred to, range from a Front Desk Receptionist to a Specialized Operating Room Nurse to an Interim CEO.  Whatever the position is that you need to fill, it's very likely that there is a Staffing Agency that can handle it. Make sure you research the Agency and ask questions to thoroughly understand their experience and capabilities. 

As with any professional service provider, look into the Staffing Agency's reviews online. Consumer reviews are always valuable to take into consideration.  While Staffing Agencies are the Employer of Record for the Temporary Employees they assign to you, the law in the United States recognizes a joint or dual employment relationship with the Staffing Agency and their client.  This means that if your staffing agency is not following the rules with respect to employment law and employer liability, you may be partially liable. A good place to start, is the American Staffing Association website at www.americanstaffing.net.  They provide lists of various Staffing Agencies around the United States. Staffing Agencies who are members of the American Staffing Association are continuously educated about changes to the laws, industry trends that can impact you, as well as best practices. They also agree to abide by a strict code of conduct in their business dealings with clients, employees and with one another.  

For more help, click here, for our Free Guide: "10 Questions you Must Ask a Staffing Agency Before you Work With Them".