Expert Tips on Evaluating Staffing Agencies
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Do they demonstrate an understanding of your industry and company?
Many staffing firms are generalized. When hiring for a specific industry or niche, you want to be sure that the staffing agency can provide you with the best-vetted candidate possible that fits the role perfectly. For example, if you are hiring for a software engineer, you want to be sure the recruitment firm understands the type of software engineer you need and the type of coding you need. You wouldn’t want to hire a web programmer to do a cyber security job. Recruitment agency who understand the jargon of your industry is important, as they will spend their time and your time efficiently finding what you need. It is important to find a staffing agency who is familiar with your company as well. They need to be able to understand the role you are looking to fill and be able to easily explain such roles to the candidate. This means they will know how to sell your company and find you candidates with high experience. Not to mention, they should be able to explain your company and the role back to you to demonstrate they are actively listening and not missing anything.
Can they be specific and show results?
It is important when looking at staffing agencies to measure their success. For example, if they specialize in simulation, they should be able to demonstrate the different roles they have been able to fill in simulation. Staffing firms with experience and high success rate will be able to provide you with specific information as well as results. For example, what jobs have they filled in the past? You want to be sure they are good at what they do and have the proof to show it. They should reference past assignments when speaking to you. This shows their experience and how they’ve filled roles previously. This also speaks about their treatment of candidates. Recruitment firms that treat their candidates well, means that they will have a large candidate base, giving you more vetted options. A staffing agency’s treatment of candidates will increase the choices your company will have when filling a role.
What is their recruitment process?
A staffing firm that is able to explain their recruitment process is important. Each recruitment agency does things a little differently. You want to be able to find a staffing agency that will match your company. For example, how do they find and attract candidates? Through their recruitment process, you can also see a timeline and understand each individual step as they work to find you the right candidate. You can find out what they need from you and the communication or information needed to find the right candidate for the role. Not understanding a staffing agency’s recruitment process would be akin to a staffing agency not understanding your company or the role that needs to be filled. Their current recruitment process is also a statement of their success. It measures how well they are able to fill roles and how they adapt to the changing job economy.
Do they have good, open communication?
You want to ensure that you find a staffing firm that will work hard for you. A good staffing firm will have good, open communication. They will keep you updated on progress or any problems that may arise. Good, open communication is key to finding the perfect candidate as both you, the client, and the recruitment company will be on the same page. This also means that they are giving you better treatment, filling roles faster, and have a better pool of candidates. Good, communication is a testament to a good staffing firm for a multitude of reasons. It also means that the staffing firm is trying to build a good and long lasting relationship with your company. A recruitment firm’s communication with you will demonstrate the type of communication they have with candidates. You want to ensure you find a staffing firm that will be able to properly represent your company in front of candidates.
What is their reputation?
A staffing agency's reputation is important. You should ask other business owners and see what they think about a specific recruitment firm. A recruitment company with a good reputation means they have faster times for filled roles and better relationships with their pool of candidates. It is in your best interest to understand the staffing company by understanding their reputation. For example, do other companies like their experience with them and if so why? You want to understand the parts of their process that have made them successful and has provided them with a good reputation. You should always do research on a staffing firm before hiring them. For example, you should look at their website and see the kind of jobs that they currently have open. It’s important for you to understand whom you are doing business with and the kind of company they are.
Overall, a good staffing firm should be extremely responsive to your needs, have open communication, a good reputation, a large amount of experience, and understanding of your industry. Knowing how to research all of these qualities will help you evaluate different staffing firms and find the one that’s right for you. Click here for more ways to better your results with staffing firms!