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How to Choose a staffing firm

(Dolan Media Newswires) According to the American Staffing Association, the top three reasons companies use a staffing firm are to fill a temporary vacancy, provide extra support during busy seasons and staff special short-term projects. Staffing firms can do all that, and more.

Staffing firms employed an average of 2.96 million temporary and contract workers per day in 2006, according to the ASA, filling a wide range of positions in many industries – including clerical, industrial, accounting and finance, information technology, health-care, sales and marketing, legal and management positions.

Not only can a staffing firm assist with temporary needs, it can help fill a permanent position. In fact, an ASA survey found that the fourth-biggest reason companies turn to a staffing firm is to find permanent employees – and about 60 percent of the individuals who sign on with a staffing firm are looking for a permanent position. Temp-to-perm arrangements allow a company to learn if an employee is a good fit for a position before committing to hiring.

Getting quality temporary and temp-to-perm employees begins with choosing a quality staffing firm. Don’t wait until you’re in a pinch to look for one; it’s important to take your time, interview a few and then select a firm that can act as a partner with your business, learning your company’s culture and needs and expertly filling open positions.

Developing an understanding of your company does not happen over the course of a single conversation. The staffing firm – in particular, the account executive assigned to handle your business – must be willing to take time and learn about your company – how it functions, what’s required of each position and what personalities are in play.

The recruiter must take the time to come to your offices, meet with key personnel and observe firsthand what goes on.

Look for a staffing firm that has been in business for a number of years and has serviced companies in your industry or otherwise similar to yours. The account executive should have a breadth of experience filling positions similar to the ones you need filled. A good staffing firm with a particular niche, such as information technology or health care, will have a strong network of contacts in that area and will be able to tap into an impressive network of qualified individuals.

You don’t necessarily want the firm to flood you with résumés. Look for a firm that will emphasize quality over quantity and take the time to find targeted individuals for your open positions.

Your temporary employees are technically the staffing firm’s employees. What kind of benefits and training does the firm offer its workers? Naturally, a better package will attract higher-quality talent. How does the firm screen employees? Ask for a detailed description of the process. Does the firm test each individual’s skills, perform criminal background and identity checks, verify education and check references?

Pricing, of course, is a key consideration. Ask early in the process how the staffing firm will charge you and how much the charge will be. Find out what types and levels of insurance and bonds the firm has. You will want to confirm that you are protected should, for instance, one of the firm’s employees be injured on your premises.

Also, ask about the firm’s policies in case you’re not satisfied with an employee’s performance.

An excellent staffing firm will have a stellar reputation in the community and can offer you several references of satisfied clients. Call a couple of them, to ask how responsive the firm was to their needs. Were these clients satisfied with the individuals the staffing firm sent them? If any problems arose, how efficiently did the staffing firm handle them?

Hopefully, if you have taken the time to do your research, checking references will only confirm what you already suspect – that you have found the right staffing firm.

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