Finding and hiring talent remains a huge challenge for many organizations. Not only is it a time-consuming process that takes you away from your existing obligations, but finding workers with the right skills and experience is becoming increasingly difficult. There areskills gaps in many industries: a shortage of talent remains a top problem. Candidates falsify information on their resumes. Asking the right questions during the interview can be difficult. Posting ads and performing skills testing and background checking can also be quite costly. And it’s very easy to make hiring mistakes and end up with bad hires.
That’s why so many employers are now outsourcing the recruiting and hiring functions to the experts—to staffing firms.
But to get the most out of your partnership with a staffing agency, you must choose the right firm that can effectively meet all of your hiring needs.
Here are some tips for choosing a staffing agency.
1. Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute
Chances are the thought of engaging a staffing firm only comes to you when you have an open role to fill. But if you wait until you’re in desperate need for hiring help, you won’t be giving yourself enough time to research, analyze, compare, and ultimately make the best decision.
Make choosing a staffing agency a priority before an urgent need comes up. That way, you’ll have the time you need to consider your needs, shop around, meet with different recruiters, read reviews, and make a more thoughtful and evidence-based decision.
2. Consider Your Needs—Today and Tomorrow
There are many benefits to using a staffing agency, but to get the most out of your partnership, you must ensure that you are choosing a staffing agency that can meet your hiring needs. Consider both your current and future needs.
Though one staffing agency might seem like the right choice that can hire the employees you need right now, will it be able to meet your needs of tomorrow? Not all staffing firms are alike. In fact, they’re all quite different in terms of industries served, candidates recruited, and services offered.
Perhaps you only need temporary workers right now, but maybe you’ll want to use a staffing agency’s services for permanent hires down the line. Maybe you only need to hire an administrative assistant in the near future, but you might need to hire shippers and receivers or industrial workers in a few months. You’ll want to ensure that your staffing agency can meet all of those needs.
3. Consider What Services You’ll Need
Staffing firms don’t all offer the same services. It’s important to know ahead of time what services you’ll need. If you deal with sensitive information or a lot of money, then you’re probably going to want a staffing firm that will offer background checks, for example. If you need unique skills, then you might want a staffing firm that performs skills testing. If you need help after the hiring is done, then you might want to look for a staffing firm that helps with onboarding and training.
4. Look for a Business Partner
Ideally, you shouldn’t engage a staffing agency that works only on a transactional basis. You don’t just want to be customer. Instead, look for a staffing company that can become a business partner and add value to your organization. Niche staffing firms are often the ideal choice because they have industry experience, expertise, and knowledge that they can share with you.
5. Do Online Research
Once you’ve narrowed down a list of potential staffing firms to engage, do some research online. Learn more about their reputations in the industry. Find out how long they’ve been in business—companies with more years under their belts typically have more refined hiring practices and deeper networks with candidates. Read reviews from past clients to ensure that they were happy with the services rendered. Read reviews from past candidates to ensure that the firm takes care of their needs as well.
Contact Liberty Staffing to learn more about how we can meet your hiring needs.
