What Does Staffing Agency Mean?

Table of Contents

1. What Is a Staffing Agency?

2. The Benefits of Working with a Staffing Agency as a Job Seeker

3. Tips for Maximizing the Staffing Agency Experience

4. Register with Suitable Staffing Agencies

5. Share Your Career Aspirations with the Staffing Agency

6. Keep Marketing Yourself

7. Respond to Communication Promptly

8. Keep Communication Channels Open

9. Ask About Temporary Work

What Is a Staffing Agency?

Staffing agencies, also known as recruitment agencies or temp agencies, match companies that have short-term staffing needs with candidates who are looking to work for short periods or want to try out a new job. A staffing agency acts as a middleman, matching qualified candidates with job postings. For job seekers, they can cut down a lot of the work involved in finding a job and can even support job seekers in getting interview ready. Here’s what you need to know about staffing agencies.

A business considering partnering with a staffing agency should consult with an employer law attorney to ensure compliance with all relevant labor regulations and avoid potential legal complications.

The Benefits of Working with a Staffing Agency as a Job Seeker

While a staffing agency is hired (and paid) by the organization, its success is dependent on having high-quality candidates to place in positions. They want to place candidates who are a good fit because it reflects poorly on the staffing agency if the candidate doesn’t perform well or quits the position.

Here are some of the benefits you may see from working with a staffing agency:

Additional insight into the company: A staffing agency may be able to give you additional insight into the company or position that will help you to prepare for the interview. They want to equip their candidates as much as possible because they get paid based on placement.
Salary range: In many cases, a staffing agency will be able to provide more information that you may not have access to until the interview, like the salary range. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of the staffing agency representative when they contact you about a job posting.
Notification of suitable positions: When you work with a staffing agency, you’re not just working with them for 1 position. Generally, you will interview with the staffing agency to get on their books so they can understand your skills, experience, personality, and career aspirations. They will contact you to discuss job postings that they think would be a good fit.
Job search advice: Don’t be afraid to ask the staffing agency representative what you can do to improve your chances. They can provide you with general advice or job-specific advice. Many staffing agencies will have resources available to ensure their candidates perform well in applications and interviews.

Tips for Maximizing the Staffing Agency Experience

While working with the staffing agency makes job searching a lot easier, it is not a free pass to sit back and do nothing. There are a few things you can do to leverage the staffing agency experience to get a great job.

Register with Suitable Staffing Agencies

Research the staffing agencies who specialize in your industry or desired job position. If you have aspirations to work at a specific company, research which staffing agency they use (or which staffing agency has contacts there.)

There tends to be a registration process to get on the books of a staffing agency. You will often have to submit a CV and cover letter, just like applying for a job. Remember, staffing agencies get incentivized based on the quality of the candidates they provide, so they need to see first that you are skilled and experienced for the positions you are applying for. The staffing agency also needs to see that you have job application and interview skills so they know you will perform well during the application process.

Treat the staffing agency registration and interview process like you would a normal job interview. This will show the staffing agency that you are a good candidate. It also means that the staffing agency can give feedback to help you improve before your job interview.

Share Your Career Aspirations with the Staffing Agency

Don’t be afraid to share your career dreams with the staffing agency representative. They will take those into account when matching you with job opportunities. Your career aspirations will make you a stronger candidate for the right job.

Keep Marketing Yourself

Even when working with a staffing agency, you should continue ensuring you are marketing. See if the staffing agency has professional development resources like courses, networking opportunities, or skill workshops. Take advantage of the extra time you have claimed back from the job search process and put that back into becoming a stronger candidate.

Respond to Communication Promptly

The job market moves quickly, so don’t delay in responding to communication from your staffing agency. If you wait too long, the position may no longer be available, or interview slots may be full. Set up alerts so you don’t miss any messages from your staffing agency, or set times to check your emails or messages.

The easier you make the process for the staffing agency, the better candidate you will be for them (and therefore, the more jobs they will recommend you for.)

Keep Communication Channels Open

Stay in contact with your staffing agency representative. This is a two-way communication channel, so talk to your staffing agency representative throughout the process. Discuss the areas where you could use more support, and talk to them about how suitable different positions were.

Think of your staffing agency representative as an asset and use them as much as possible. Some staffing agencies will negotiate salary or seek feedback on your behalf. Ask questions and seek advice as much as possible so you can improve.

Ask About Temporary Work

It is worth checking if your staffing agency does contract or temporary work while you are looking for a full-time job. Especially if you are applying for jobs in a technical, project-based field, staffing agencies will help companies fill temporary needs. This can provide you with income, experience, and networking opportunities while you find a full-time job you love. Let your staffing agency representative know that you are interested in temporary opportunities, so they keep you in mind. As we said above, the more communication you have with your staffing agency representative, the better.

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