Making the decision to partner with a staffing agency for your recruiting needs can be a difficult one, whether you are an old pro or a newbie to the hiring game. When looking at different agencies in your area, make sure you ask them these questions to see who will be the best fit for working with your company. Over time, as you build a relationship with the staffing agency, you want them to become an extension of your HR department, not just another vendor you work with.
How long have you been in business?
There is a lot of competition in the staffing and recruiting industry, so companies who have been around for more than 10 years are clearly doing something right. Try finding an agency focused either on your geographic location or your niche industry. They will be able to put their specialized knowledge to work finding the best candidates for your company.
What is your fee?
While the cost of hiring either a direct hire employee or a temporary worker through a staffing agency is important, it shouldn’t be your only deciding factor. Choosing an agency on price alone will most likely mean that you will get a lower quality candidate or service from the agency.
Do you meet with every candidate you submit?
With today’s technology, it’s possible to have an interview via video chat with candidates in other areas of the country. Of course there are situations where it may not be possible to meet with every candidate, but you don’t want to work with an agency that just sends you resumes of candidates they’ve never interviewed or even spoken with before. While they may get lucky a few times, odds are the candidates they send to you won’t be a great fit for your organization.
How do you determine if a candidate is a good fit for my business?
You’re going to the staffing agency because they are the experts at recruiting. You should look for them to include steps such as skills testing, phone screen and in-person interviews, and reference checks in their process. But more importantly, you want to work with a staffing agency who is interested in building a relationship with you. They should ask the right questions to get to know your needs and your company culture to find the best fit.
Do you guarantee your temporary workers?
As a hiring manager, you want to know that the agency will send you a replacement worker if you have an issue with a candidate.
How accessible are your staffing managers?
You want a responsive staffing agency. If a problem arises or you have a staffing need, you want to get in touch with a real person right away. Access to the staffing agency after traditional business hours is also important. During the day you are busy running your company, so after 5pm might be your only available time to talk.
Of course these questions are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the research you’re likely to do before deciding on a staffing agency to work with. If your company is looking to hire new employees, contact Key Resource Group today and our Staffing Managers will be more than happy to share their knowledge and experience with you.