Whether you’re looking for project work or a full-time job, working with a staffing agency greatly improves your chances of finding a job that fits your skills, experience, and career goals.
If you want to build a successful relationship with a temp agency, you need to first understand who the staffing agency works for. Staffing agencies are hired, and paid, by companies looking for temporary workers and need help filling vacant labor jobs. This means that a recruiter’s main goal is to find the right talent for their client and not just a job for their candidates.
REMEMBER: A staffing agency wants to place you but never at the expense of their client. They won’t send you for a construction job interview if they feel you are unprepared or not a good fit for the vacancy.
Second, what the staffing agency expects from you. A professional and reliable staffing agency will work with you early on to set expectations around communication, feedback and the process they follow when setting up interviews for potential jobs. Always ask these questions before working with a temp agency:
- What can you expect when working for them?
- How often will they communicate with you? (Daily, Monthly e.t.c)
- How long will it take to find you a job?
- Will they share feedback with you regarding your interviews and resume?
Third, it is important to find a staffing agency that is open and honest with you. You want to find an agency that:
- Provides feedback that helps emphasize your strengths to potential employers
- Is truthful when the job isn’t the right fit
- Keeps you informed throughout the interview and hiring process
However, you also need to reciprocate. Staffing agencies can only do their jobs well when candidates are honest with them. You must be truthful about your skillset and experience level. If you have a criminal record, please communicate that upfront. While you may be hesitant to share certain information for fear that it will impact your chances of getting a job, not telling the truth can damage your reputation and affect your future job prospects.
The fourth and final key to successfully working with a staffing agency is to make sure they are a good fit. There are many staffing agencies available and you need to make sure that you find the right fit for your specific needs. Finding a temp agency that specializes in your industry is a necessity as well as working with someone whom you feel comfortable with and trust to give you honest feedback.
If you are interested in learning more about Diverse Staffing and the jobs that we have available near you click here.
I like that you said that not being honest can damage your reputation and affect your job prospects. Someone told me that they were out looking for a job but he wasn’t able to find one. I’m going to let him know about working through a staffing agency until he builds some work reputation.
I like that there is feedback available that can help emphasize strengths to different potential employers. I’m going to have to look into employment services. Recently, I lost my job because I was injured in the leg and now I’m trying to get back to work.
I love how you said to ask how often they’ll communicate with you. It’s really good to know when you can expect a reply to your questions and concerns. I’ll go find that out right now so that I can choose the best company.
I liked that you mentioned you need to consider a staffing agency that provides feedback that helps emphasize your strengths to potential employees. My husband is thinking about hiring more people for his company, and we are looking for advice. I believe that a staffing agency will help my husband to avoid worrying about anything but his business.
Excellent blog on how to successfully work with a staffing agency, Keep it up. Please keep sharing.
I thought it was really awesome that a staff recruiter’s primary objective is to find the best fit for their clients, not merely find positions for their candidates. It seems like temporary staffing services work for both the benefit of potential employees and workplaces. If I were to ever need to work with a staffing agency, I would be very happy to know that an agency has my best interest in mind, whichever side I was on.
I’m glad you pointed out that one should look for a recruiting agency that is honest. I need to find a job and am willing to relocate If I was in the field of recruiting new people to work for a company, this information would certainly help with placing applicants in a job that is best for their talents. It helps to know that recruitment agents have specific knowledge of these jobs, so they can forward successful applicants directly to the company during the hiring process.
I like that you mention how a staffing agency’s main objective is to find the right talent for their client. My husband has a friend that has been struggling to find someone to fill his executive positions. I think they should look into hiring an employment agency that can help him find what he is looking for.