Make the most of your job search by utilizing a staffing agency to land your Dream Job
Working with an employment agency (also known as a staffing agency, employment recruiter or staffing company) can be one of the fastest, easiest, most seamless way for you to get a great job. However, there are several elements which are critical to the process and both you and the staffing agency must be open and accountable for these respective responsibilities.
HOW IT WORKS
Obtaining a job using a staffing agency is relatively simple if you follow a few key steps:
- Have a current and accurate resume and be available to interview with your recruiter and potential hiring managers.
- Know what salary range, type of work, industry interest, travel distance or any other criteria that may influence where you would like to work.
- Stay in communication with your staffing specialist during your job search.
- The recruiter will assess whether they have a job opportunity with one of their existing clients using the information you submitted to them. Therefore, it is critical to be honest and thorough from submitting the resume to answering interview questions accurately.
- If the staffing specialist finds a match, they will submit you to the client and contact you for an interview with the client, if so desired.
- Once the interview with the client is complete, you will hear from the agency as to whether you will be offered employment or were rejected and why.
TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT/PLACEMENTS
- Temp – This is a placement that has an indefinite end date. It can be short or long term, depending on the client’s needs. Very rarely does this involve an interview with the client.
- Temp-to-Perm – This is a “trial period” experience where can see if it’s a good fit for both. Occasionally, the client will want to interview you in addition to the agency’s interview.
- Direct Placement – This is where you’re filtered through the staffing agency, but if selected, you are placed directly in the employment of the client. This usually involves multiple interviews; with the agency and the client.
THE BENEFITS OF USING A STAFFING COMPANY
First and foremost, using a staffing agency is and should be FREE to the job seeker. If your recruiter is trying to charge you for their service, don’t walk away… RUN! There are an abundance of staffing companies who do not charge the seeker for their services.
Another benefit to using a staffing company is that they do the job searching for you because they already have established clientele and a job pool. Utilizing an agency is almost always the quickest way to get hired because we have an extensive network of hiring managers and a multitude of clients in many industries. Registering with multiple employment agencies increases your chances significantly because it’s like applying to hundreds of jobs at once.
A staffing specialist’s primary job is to assess and choose the best candidate to submit based on their client’s needs and corporate culture.
That being said, the staffing specialist should give the candidate instantaneous and honest feedback if they don’t see a good match for a particular job opportunity.
Another benefit of registering and working with many staffing agencies is even if you’re working in a temp or temp-to-perm situation, you can still enroll in medical, dental and vision benefits while you await your permanent placement. We encourage all candidates to enroll even before their first day so they can receive those benefits within 2-3 weeks after their start date.
EXPECTATIONS
Both the candidate and the client have expectations that need to be met to facilitate a good match. This results in a win-win-win scenario for the client, candidate and staffing company. Here are just a few examples of what the agency and candidate are to expect during the process:
What we expect from candidates
- To provide a 100% accurate resume or application which includes dates (mm/yy), skills and job summaries
- Give prompt, honest replies to inquiries, applications, questions and concerns
- Answer the phone or return the calls/texts promptly
- Follow through on promises made: Mean what you say and do it
- Be open to different opportunities (temp, temp-to-perm)
- Be teachable and willing to take constructive criticism
- Listen intently to the job description and ask questions if you don’t understand something
- Contact us directly if there is any issue and/or you don’t think the job is a good fit. Don’t just leave or walk off.
What candidates expect from their staffing agency
The company will:
- Conduct a thorough interview and skills assessment
- Provide a 100% accurate job description
- Provide all opportunities that match your skillset and desired wage
- Provide interview coaching/prep
- Fully explain the job environment, average workday, skills needed, shift schedule and starting wage
- Give you prompt feedback after you’ve interviewed with the client
- Help the client and candidate communicate
- Provide all our contact information & methods should any problems arise at the job site
- Be available during the temp-to-hire period to facilitate should any problems occur
WORK WITH FIRSTOPTION
As you can see, when you put in the effort, utilizing a staffing agency like FirstOption is probably one of the best ways to land your dream job. When you choose us to assist in your job search, you’re getting comprehensive, professional help at absolutely no cost to you. It’s kind of like pressing the “easy button.” So, are you ready to give it a whirl? We would love to help you find your next job, so contact us today and let’s get this button pressed!
