staffing firm

Why you Should Use a Staffing Agency for Hard to Fill Vacancies

Why you Should Use a Staffing Agency for Hard to Fill Vacancies

Between lost productivity and lost revenue, most companies lose money on hard to find hires. Usually, the search for these types of employees is more frustrating than successful. This is where a professional staffing agency can help. The right agency can deliver top talent for even the most challenging requirements. Let’s take a closer look at why you should use a staffing agency for your hard to fill vacancies:

Staffing agencies can provide valuable industry expertise
Experienced staffing agencies have direct experience with a variety of niche industries. This makes it possible for the agency to offer unique insight into your specific industry’s current hiring trends and best practices, helping you craft compensation and benefits packages that are specially designed to attract top talent.
Utilizing a staffing agency leads to a faster hiring process
Without experienced help, locating a candidate with a hard to find skill set can take several months. Utilizing the help of an experienced staffing firm can cut your time to hire down to as little as just a few days. Staffing agencies have a large database of talented professionals and recruiters who are focused on niche markets, making it possible for them to quickly pinpoint candidates that match even the most specialized hiring profiles.
Working with a staffing firm reduces friction between hiring managers
Nowadays many businesses have two or more hiring managers. This can actually slow down the hiring process and create quite a lot of internal tension, especially when those involved don’t see eye to eye on hiring profiles. Additionally, positions such as IT, engineering and software development have very specific requirements that can be extremely difficult for talent acquisition generalists who lack direct industry experience. A competent staffing agency can provide valuable industry expertise and help multiple hiring managers reach a consensus on a desired skill set.
Using a staffing agency cuts spending
Attempting to fill a hard to fill vacancy can quickly lead to rogue spending. A staffing agency can help your HR team develop a program with carefully defined guidelines on spending.

iStaffing Agency helps companies in California locate, screen and place professional candidates into Management, Senior and Executive level positions. iStaffing Agency specializes in Human Resources, Accountants, Executives, IT Professionals, Loan Officers and other professional candidates in addition to candidates in the Entertainment and Nonprofit sector. For more information about how iStaffing Agency can help your company with their staffing needs, please contact us today.

Understanding the Difference Between a Staffing Agency and a Temp Agency

Understanding the Difference Between a Staffing Agency and a Temp Agency

Most people group the terms staffing agency and temp agency together. Both organizations have overlapping business models and sometimes provide the same services. However, staffing agencies usually offer a wider range of options with more solutions to suit their client’s labor issues and needs.

Both staffing agencies and temp agencies provide their corporate clientele with workers that match a particular skill set and experience level. Depending on the needs of the company, corporate clients might ask the agency to fill a short term position on very short notice or they might provide advance notice of an upcoming need for a long-term or permanent position. Regardless of the type of position, when a corporate client needs a worker they will contact the staffing firm and request an individual with a certain level of experience and skills. The staffing firm consults its worker database, contacts a qualified worker and sends them directly to the corporate client.

Temp agencies and staffing agencies offer temporary workers to their clients. Both types of staffing firm provides short-term labor to help companies deal with unexpected absences, busy periods, illnesses, maternity leaves and special projects. The agencies, employees and clients understand that temporary assignments do not last forever.

While temp agencies only offer temporary work, staffing agencies focus on the long term needs of their clients. For example, staffing agencies that specialize in information technology professionals frequently supply companies with programmers and hardware specialists that are needed to work on projects lasting more than one year.

Temporary labor is much more expensive for a company than permanent employees are. However, when a temporary absence creates the need for short term help, the higher cost might be the company’s only option. When companies have positions available they usually prefer to fill them in order to avoid the high hourly rate of temporary workers. Staffing agencies provide several different staffing solutions including the recruitment of qualified individuals and the permanent placement of full-time employees.

Preparing for a Temp Agency Test

Preparing for a Temp Agency Test

Today, experienced individuals have many options when looking for a job. An employment agency is an ideal place to start. Some job seekers chose to use temp agencies. Temp agencies provide short-term employment opportunities. Applying for a job with a temp agency involves completing an application, interviewing with a recruiter at the agency and taking a skills test. The test is used to evaluate certain skills, which allows the agency to match job seekers with the perfect job. Preparing for a temp agency test is not difficult and can go a long way towards finding the right opportunity.

Before you arrive at the temp agency, find out which tests will be required. Typically a temp agency will use different tests for different career fields. For example, a position as an administration assistant will include a typing test. Since the agency might require testing on specific software programs, you should also ask which software versions will be used.

If you are unfamiliar with the software or you lack skills that will be tested, consider taking a training course. Most community colleges offer one-day workshops, and the internet is full of free training courses. Even if you are familiar with the software that will be used during the testing, it is still wise to take a training course to refresh your skills.

Perhaps the most important part of preparing for a temp agency test is practice. Understanding how a program works or how to use your skills is not always enough to do well on the tests. Many temp agency tests are timed. Practicing your skills significantly improves your speed and accuracy.

The day of testing you must be both mentally and physically prepared. Make sure that you get a full night’s rest the night before the test and eat a healthy breakfast. When you arrive at the temp agency, turn off your cell phone and take a few extra minutes to refocus your mind so that you are able to properly invest your energy on the test.

iStaffing Agency helps place professional candidates into Management, Senior and Executive level positions . iStaffing Agency specializes in Human Resources, Accountants, Executives, IT Professionals, Loan Officers and other professional candidates in addition to candidates in the Entertainment and Nonprofit sector. For more information about how iStaffing Agency can help you locate your next career opportunity in California, please contact us today.

Making Sense Out of Job Listings

Making Sense Out of Job Listings

Job listings are full of terms such as contract, temporary, temp to perm and direct hire. Each of these positions has their own unique benefits to both job seekers and the companies that offer them. However, many job seekers do not fully understand the difference between the types of employment being offered. Although some companies might vary slightly on how they define these terms, the following definitions should help you make sense out of the positions offered on most job boards.

Contract
Contract typically refers to a position that is not permanent and has a specific time frame attached to it. This type of work usually does not come with benefits. Contract work is offered when a company needs to complete a project or needs to cover a permanent employee’s leave of absence.

Temporary
Temporary positions can range from a few hours to full time work for up to one year. With temporary work there is no guarantee of the position becoming a permanent position with benefits. However, temporary positions frequently extend past the set end date, turn into temp to perm positions or open the door to a full time job later on. A temporary employee is typically considered an employee of the staffing agency.

Temp to Perm
Temp to perm positions are offered when an employer would like a full time employee but cannot commit to a permanent position immediately. During the temp to hire period, the employee is considered an employee of the staffing agency. Companies seeking temp to hire candidates through respectable staffing agencies are sincere in their desire to hire permanent staff members. This type of position can be a great benefit to both job seekers and the companies that offer them.

Direct Hire
With direct hire positions, companies utilize a staffing agency to locate talent then hire them directly. Direct hire positions are permanent positions, usually full time with benefits. Instead of being an employee of the staffing agency, candidates offered a direct hire position go directly on the company payroll.

iStaffing Agency helps place professional candidates into Management, Senior and Executive level positions. iStaffing Agency specializes in Human Resources, Accountants, Executives, IT Professionals, Loan Officers and other professional candidates in addition to candidates in the Entertainment and Nonprofit sector. For more information about how iStaffing Agency can help you locate your next career opportunity, please contact them today.

Tips On Retaining Good Employees

Tips On Retaining Good Employees

It can be difficult to retain good employees. To understand why employees quit, you must first understand what is most important to them:

Job security
Benefits
Compensation
Adequate opportunity to use skills
Feeling safe in the workplace

While most of these factors seem obvious, employers know that reducing employee turnover takes more than just good pay and health benefits. If you want to retain good employees then you must start by looking at your hiring practices. Before hiring your next employee, consider how the following will fit into your hiring process.

Keep a good relationship with your employees

When asked why employees quit their job the number one reason is that they had a poor relationship with their boss. It’s extremely important to make an honest effort to connect with your employees and keep an open line of communication. These are crucial parts of building a good relationship.

Give employees plenty of opportunities to use their skills

Boredom can make an employee’s work day drag on forever and it doesn’t make any sense to hire good employees who end up feeling like they have no purpose in your organization. Make sure that you hire employees with the right skill set for the job. They should feel challenged and receive plenty of opportunities to grow their talents.

Foster good relationships between employees

An office that is full of gossip, bullies and lazy workers can affect your entire workforce. It is up to you to stop this type of behavior. Pay attention and listen to employees who report bad behavior and make sure that it is stopped immediately. Don’t allow poor relationships with co-workers be the reason that you lose good employees.

Take a close look at your organizational culture

Every single person in your organization should be treated with dignity and respect. If your organization has a reputation for unethical behavior or if your executives are seen as shady individuals, even your best employee will eventually start looking for an improvement in organizational culture elsewhere.

Learning how to hire employees in a way that avoids high employee turnover can be difficult. It takes time and effort on your part, but its well worth it in the long run.

iStaffing Agency helps companies throughout the United States locate, screen and place professional candidates into Management, Senior and Executive level positions. iStaffing Agency specializes in Human Resources, Accountants, Executives, IT Professionals, Loan Officers and other professional candidates in addition to candidates in the Entertainment and Nonprofit sector. For more information about how iStaffing Agency can help your company with their staffing needs, please contact us today.

Tips For Getting A Job Through a Staffing Agency

Tips For A Getting Job Through A Staffing Agency

In today’s competitive world it can be extremely hard to find a job. One of the most promising ways of finding a good job is to contract with a staffing agency. Staffing agencies can help you find the perfect job and gain necessary experience throughout the process. The following tips can help you land a job through a staffing agency.

Research the different staffing agencies available
Locate staffing agencies online and thoroughly research them. Check references and ask lots of questions.
Understand the difference between paid and free
There are several staffing agencies that require job seekers to pay a fee for their services. Most of the time this fee will be paid by the company where the applicant is placed. If you choose to use a staffing firm that charges fees, make sure that you research them thoroughly before signing on.
Register with a reputable agency
A reputable staffing agency can be a valuable partner when searching for a good job.
Provide a comprehensive resume
Most staffing firms will require you to submit your resume when you register with them. This is important as it gives the staffing agency the ability to match your talents and skills to the job postings that they have available.
Take all qualifying tests
The staffing agency that you choose might require you to take certain qualifying tests. These tests are a good indicator of your personal skills and abilities and can enable the staffing agency to place you in a wider range of positions.
Take any additional training offered by the staffing firm
Many staffing agencies provide training for individuals that contract with them. This specialized training not only reinforces your skills but also increases your chances of finding a job.
Search through job listings
While the staffing agency that you contract with will aim to match you with the perfect job, it is still a good idea to search through the agency’s database of job vacancies yourself.
Whenever possible, sign up for Email or SMS alerts
When there is a job match, if you receive notice right away through email or SMS alerts you will be able to apply for the job immediately.
Always apply immediately
To avoid missed opportunities, always apply immediately when there is a job match.
Do not give up
The perfect job usually takes time to find. Trust in the staffing agency that you have chosen to work with.

Developing A Professional Relationship With A Staffing Agency

Developing A Professional Relationship With A Staffing Agency

A quality staffing agency can be an excellent way to get your business through a huge project or a disastrous flu season. However, not all staffing agencies are created equal. Depending on which staffing firm you choose, you could either find yourself overwhelmed with the end result, or wishing you could turn back the clock. When selecting a staffing agency, you must find one that is able to fulfill your business’ individual needs. Let’s take a closer look at how to develop a professional relationship with a staffing agency.

Start By Determining Your Needs

If you are not able to properly communicate your needs from the start, your long-term success will suffer. Consider meeting with managers and supervisors to determine exactly what the role of your new employees will be. Figure out just how many employees will be needed for each department and how long you will need them to be with the company. You should also determine the skills that each employee must possess. Be sure to plan your company budget to pay for the workers that you need, and remember that having too many employees can be just as stressful as being short-staffed.

Choose Your Staffing Agency

When selecting a staffing agency to work with you will want to choose one that is able to fill the specific needs that you have determined. For example, a staffing firm that specializes in industrial workers is not likely to have a pool of accountants to assist your company during tax season.

Once you have determined which staffing agency specializes in your particular industry, inquire about the benefits and pay that the agency offers their employees. Typically, a quality compensation package will attract higher caliber workers. Don’t be afraid to request references from the staffing firm. Simply checking references can save you a lot of stress and money in the long run.

Once you have selected a staffing agency, ask if they offer a trial period. This gives you the opportunity to see how well you work together, as well as ample time to decide if you wish to make the arrangement permanent. After a few weeks, schedule a follow up interview to discuss any fine tuning that needs to be done. This is crucial in establishing an ongoing professional trust that is based on communication and understanding.

Common Myths About Getting a Job Through a Staffing Agency

Common Myths About Getting a Job Through a Staffing Agency

Staffing agencies offer qualified candidates the opportunity to gain access to companies on either a temporary, temp to hire or full-time basis. Temporary assignments can last anywhere from one day to six months or more. More than ninety percent of all companies in the U.S. use staffing firms to find employees, and approximately forty percent of all employees have entered or re-entered the job market with the help of a staffing agency.

However, many college graduates still avoid registering with staffing agencies because they have heard one or more misleading myths about getting a job through a staffing agency. Let’s take a closer look at these common myths:

Jobs available through staffing agencies are not “real” jobs, they are only temporary jobs.
The reality is that the jobs available through staffing agencies are “real” jobs, often offered by large, well-established companies. These companies develop budgets in order to hire a set number of full-time employees every year. These budgets include a substantial amount of money used to hire temporary staff throughout the year to handle the ebb and flow of business. When the time comes for the company to open up temporary positions as full-time, the temporary employees that were placed by the staffing agency are in the ideal position to interview for the full-time job.
The jobs available through staffing agencies are low paying jobs.
Regardless of how they locate the opportunity, most college graduates will be offered assignments that fit their experience, which is entry level. It’s up to them to decide how they will leverage that opportunity in order to take their career to the next level. Jobs offered by staffing agencies typically provide employees with a better chance to advance their career.
Staffing agencies only work with entry level, administrative type candidates.
Staffing agencies work with a variety of different candidates. Specialty firms place professional, managerial and technical candidates, while other staffing agencies offer opportunities for candidates that are looking to either get their foot in the door or change industries.
Assignments offered by staffing agencies only last a couple of weeks.
While assignments offered by staffing agencies might last anywhere from one day to several months, employees have an excellent opportunity to get hired full-time. Perhaps one of the best things about working with a staffing agency is that you are exposed to a wide variety of companies, positions and opportunities. This makes it possible for you to decide exactly what you are looking for as far as company culture, who you work best with and what type of work you enjoy doing.