Success Factors When Working With a Staffing Agency

Countless successful companies depend on staffing agencies for their hiring and recruitment needs. Most importantly, they save time and valuable resources when identifying the ideal candidate for a vacant position. Working with a staffing agency does rely on some success factors, though.

Moreover, some employment firms specialize in a specific field. In other words, they are constantly screening the best talent available in a specific industry and ready to fill a role in any timeframe.

However, a business must note a few success factors when working with a staffing agency. By following some of these success factors, businesses can ensure they receive the best quality and optimal solutions for their hiring needs.

Selecting the Right Staffing Agency

Success Factors From Working With A Staffing Agency Search
Trusted opinions are always the best route when deciding on a business, but Google is always a safe option.

Through searches on Google or referrals, you will notice a plethora of staffing agencies to choose from. 

So, with so many options to choose from, how should you go about making your decision? How do you know a staffing agency is proficient?

Google Search

Like any business, choosing based on Google’s ranking system is always a decent option. Staffing agencies that rank well on Google have developed a strong reputation. It requires positive reviews and dedication to work your way up the ranking, attributes that make an agency more palatable.

Moreover, we recommend avoiding the agencies that appear as ads. The first few options on your search results may state an ad. Some staffing agencies can simply pay their way through an ad to be visible on page one. While that’s not necessarily an awful sign, it doesn’t show the same merit as becoming a top-ranked agency organically. Organically-ranked sites did something right to get there.

Referral From Colleagues

A referral from a colleague is one of the best methods for deciding on a service. These recommendations may be based on positive experience, which bodes extremely well for a company’s reputation.

However, businesses should keep in mind that not all experiences will be the same with every referral. Not every positive experience carries.

Email Marketing, Cold Calls and Company Pamphlets

Decision-makers often receive marketing emails that can seem like spam. In some cases, they are spam.

However, most emails from staffing agencies are from actual account managers. They contact decision-makers to see if they are in the market to leverage hiring needs through a recruitment firm.

Think of it this way. If a staffing recruiter was able to find a company’s decision-maker, imagine their ability to find exceptional talent for vacant positions.

Therefore, do not always ignore marketing emails from actual account managers at staffing agencies. Keep their contact info handy when you have a difficult position to fill.

Ultimately, it is easy to feel if an email is spam or legitimate. Staffing agencies do reach out to businesses, so don’t treat every email as spam.

Take Time to Define the Role

Success Factors From Working With A Staffing Agency Search Define
Having a well-defined set of attributes you are looking for can make finding the perfect candidate easier.

After deciding on a staffing agency, make sure to provide detailed information on the role you need to fill. This helps the staffing agency find the ideal candidates with efficiency.

Unfortunately, when clients do not provide complete information about the role, staffing agencies must fill in the gaps themselves. As a result, they may present candidates that lack a few traits that the organization was looking for.

Businesses have a higher success rate in finding the ideal candidate if they define the role correctly.

Companies like Tier2Tek Staffing (shameless self-promotion incoming) take the time to figure out your business’s exact needs. From culture to attributes, we make sure to find the perfect fit for your company.

Build a Relationship With the Account Manager

Success Factors From Working With A Staffing Agency Search Define Relationships
Staffing companies like Tier2Tek assign a specialized account manager to each client, helping them make the hiring process easy.

In most cases, staffing agencies assign a dedicated account manager to your company. Therefore, taking time to get to know the account manager is one of the most important success factors when working with a staffing agency.

Most importantly, communication should be easy and effective. Businesses should feel confident in partnering with the account manager.

Furthermore, take note of how quickly the account manager gets back to you. When you call them, do they pick up? Do they get back to you quickly? When you email them, do they respond right away?

By building a relationship with the account manager, organizations will have a stronger success factor.

Understand All Services

The staffing agency will have multiple options to help businesses fill vacant positions. Based on your hiring needs, the account manager can provide the optimal solution that will work for your business.

For example, a direct-hire option might be ideal for sourcing a full-time employee within the organization. The staffing agency will find the right candidate for you. The candidate will then become part of your organization from day one.

A temp-to-hire option might be ideal for an organization to evaluate candidates before hiring them into the organization. By doing so, organizations ensure the ideal fit and avoid bad hires.

Finally, there is the option of completely outsourcing some of the positions. As a result, the candidates are contracted employees who come into the organization to assist with business operations. This option is ideal for positions that have high attrition and need constant staffing.

Understand All Fees

When working with staffing agencies, it is pivotal to understand all fees. For example, an outsourced employee may have an hourly rate, while a direct-hire employee will have a conversion fee.

Understanding all the options and fees is a crucial factor when working with a staffing agency. Do not get blindsided by charges.

Discuss Your Budget

Fees
Be upfront about your budget. Staffing agencies can give you great insight on the current market.

When working with the account manager of a staffing firm, ensure that they understand what you can pay for. In summary, ask them how much they charge and let them know how much you can pay for a position. Doing so helps the account manager identify the right level of talent.

By discussing the budget, the staffing company will be able to focus on the ideal talent that fits both the budget and the vacant position. They can also provide additional feedback on current market rates for your industry.

Be Patient With Resumes

Make sure to set the expectations and timelines with the account manager.

Once the staffing agency starts screening the ideal candidates, they will send you their top applicants.

Review the resumes and the account manager’s comments about each candidate. Next, schedule interviews and see which candidate best fits the role.

Provide Honest Feedback

Once again, communication is key.

During the whole process, provide feedback to the account manager. Most importantly, let them know if something was lacking in the previous candidate.

Providing feedback helps account managers fine-tune their search and provide you exactly what you are looking for in a candidate.

Staying connected and communicating with the account manager will greatly increase the success factor of working with a staffing agency and finding the perfect candidate.

Overall, a staffing agency’s entire motive is to find you the best candidate. While they have the tools and experience to find great candidates, they need information from the business to make sure it’s the perfect fit. Being upfront and honest about exactly what you are looking for and willing to pay can help make the process efficient.