Does this sound familiar?
You need administrative help immediately but have no time to conduct a decent job search.
Your seasoned and trusted Controller is retiring; how will you ever replace her?
You’ve worked with a large national staffing agency before but didn’t love the experience.
If you find yourself in need of staffing help, a professional staffing agency can be your ally, helping you vet quality candidates who will smoothly transition to working for your business. From writing up the job description, to advertising the job, to screening candidates, checking references, and helping you negotiate the offer, a staffing agency makes it possible for you to focus on your business’s needs, while they handle the business of finding you qualified employees.
But how do you pick when there are so many staffing agencies out there, from large, national corporations to smaller, local businesses? What makes a staffing agency the “right one” for your company?
10 ways to find the best staffing agency for your company
1. Ask your colleagues or the business contacts you trust who they have used before and would recommend. Word of mouth is a powerful tool.
2. What is your first impression? Do they seem like people you want to work with or does something feel “off”? Are they eager to work with you, even if it’s for a small project, or do you worry you’ll be lost in the shuffle?
“I love working with South Shore Staffing because I have had a certain comfort level from the moment I started working with them.” Inside Sales & Customer Service Manager, Canton, MA
3. Does this staffing agency specialize in key fields or are they general recruiters? Depending on your needs, you may prefer to work with recruiters who are experts in a few key areas over an agency that tries to fill any position.
4. How long have they been in business? Longevity can indicate deep roots in the community and staying power through good times as well as during economic downturns.
“We have worked with South Shore staffing for the last 8 years. I would definitely recommend them to other hiring managers.” Director of Program & Events, Stoughton, MA
5. What are their most successful partnerships? Repeat customers are always a good sign that a staffing agency is delivering on its promises.
6. Do they understand your geographic location? If your business is in Easton, does your staffing agency know why a candidate from Hull may not want to make that drive every day? Or why commuting from Quincy to Plymouth in the summer would be less-than-desirable for many applicants?
“South Shore Staffing finds me excellent direct hire employees who do not want to commute to Boston.” Controller, South Shore
7. Who will you be working with on a regular basis? Will your day-to-day contact be a senior staffing agent or a junior recruiter? Who can help you when you have a problem? Are they accessible?
8. What is their recruitment process? Will they meet with candidates in person or virtually before considering them for a position in your company? Do these candidates take any software or aptitude tests, if necessary, to insure they are up-to-date on the latest skills?
“I feel that they vet their candidates much more than other agencies, based on experiences we’ve had with other staffing companies, and they know the candidates’ skill sets and abilities at a much more personal level.” Shared Services Manager, Braintree, MA
9. What is the agency’s internal staff turnover rate? How long has the recruiter been with their company? Successful staffing happens when a recruiter truly understands your needs. You may not want to start building a trusting relationship from scratch every time you need to hire.
10. Finally, talk to a few staffing agencies before you commit to any one company. Learn about their approach, their specialties, ask for references or to see written testimonials, and examine their fee structure.
”We contacted a number of staffing companies last year for a temp to work with us for six weeks and found South Shore Staffing to be most responsive to our needs.” Consulting Company President, Plymouth, MA
Spending a little time now researching the best staffing agency for your needs will pay off in the end when you have a staffing partner you can count on for years to come.