Seeking a job can be a traumatizing experience. Whether you want assistance in securing temporary or long-term employment, sending emails, going through job listings, networking with former colleagues, and making phone calls can be discouraging and exhausting. Therefore, involving a staffing agency is an ideal option for any job seeker in that it saves time and boosts your confidence. Engaging a staffing agency ensures that you have somebody on your side to promote your skills and talent directly to hiring managers and companies who require your expertise. 

However, with many staffing agencies in the market, you need to know how to find the one that best suits your needs. Here are some factors to consider when looking for an employment agency:

Types of jobs in which they specialize

Some staffing agencies focus on jobs in particular fields such as health, construction, manufacturing, or warehousing. Others will have jobs in many several areas but might lack an area that fits your background. To know what a specific agency deals with, you should look at its job listings or website.

The geographic region the agency covers

Many large staffing agencies cover vast areas that may sound great: they can probably offer you several employment opportunities. However, it might mean that you get job offers that involve a 90 plus minute drive or jobs that need relocation, which might not be in your plan. Suppose your wish is to work near home. In that case, you should engage a local agency or ensure that the recruiter understands all the parameters of your job hunt, particularly your commuting requirements.

The ability of staffing specialist to meet directly with me 

If you have been presenting your CV online to websites or job boards for an extended period, face to face meeting with a staffing agency specialist can give you a chance to market yourself past your resume. However, if that specialist has no authority at the agency, a face-to-face meeting might not help. It would be best if you thus tried to find out whether it is possible to meet with the decision-makers. 

The agencies experience and their staff’s rate of turnover

New staffing agencies are starting up, and it is a good thing since it implies that the industry is growing. Nevertheless, if the rate of staff turnover is high or if there is a lack of leadership, it could be a red flag. 

Testimonials

Ask the staffing agency to show you some testimonials. Moreover, you can check online reviews to learn about the success rate of the agency and their previous client’s satisfaction. One occasional negative review is expected, but you should be careful if there is a pattern of troubling issues.

Fees charged for their services

Some recruiters charge candidates for the services offered, but a staffing agency's payment is often paid to the companies that hire them to recruit candidates to work for them. Therefore, it would be appropriate to confirm whether you will be charged for the services before you decide to engage an employment agency. 

While a serious job hunt always involves a high level of hustle, a staffing agency serves as your cover letter with direct access to recruiters with real job opportunities. You thus need to do proper homework and get the appropriate employment agency.