Action Steps for Hiring an Employment Agency
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Know what type of employment agency you want to work with

The first step for choosing an employment agency is finding a service that meets your needs. If you are looking to hire employees for factory work, make sure the employment agency you work with can provide you with employee candidates that are skilled in using your business's technology. There are many resources that can help you find the right employment agency for your business.

I recommend: Begin researching different types of hiring agencies by checking out what specific services they offer to employers, such as the Safer Foundation or Medical Methods Healthcare Recruiting. Both offer employee placement through temporary, permanent and contract hires.

Use job placement agency websites to find out how a service finds candidates

When researching employment agencies, make sure to read how the agency finds the best candidates. Some may choose to outsource the process to another company, while others have employees that do the searching themselves. Either way, choose the agency that can find you the best qualified person in the least amount of time.

I recommend: Argus Recruitment Solutions outlines the the ways it provides qualified candidates for your position.. Kelly Services provides different types of staffing for companies all across the United States.

Choose between temp workers and contract services from recruitment agencies

Any job agency you choose will work to hire a specific type of employee. Some job agencies work with temporary hires only, and other agencies vary their selection from direct hires to contract services. Know the type of employee you need to choose the right work agencies for your business.

I recommend: KoreOne Technologies offers contract services for those who need a constant flow of employees for different projects. On the other hand, if you are looking for temp workers that do not fall under contracts, Integrity Staffing Solutions can provide you will the temp staff you need.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you need a direct hire right away, but are considering hiring employment recruiters for contracted services, find your direct hire from an agency that provides both direct hires and contract services.

Guide to Employment Agencies and Recruitment Agencies

A staffing firm can free more time for daily management

By Jennifer Baljko, Freelance Writer and Editor

1. Posting job openings.
2. Tracking and pre-screening applicants.
3. Running background checks.
4. Ensuring compliance with labor laws.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose which responsibilities to farm out

You may decide that some parts of your human resources functions don't need to be outsourced, and that some portions are best handled internally. For instance, you may want to hire a recruitment or employment agency simply to handle filling temporary employment slots or to manage outreach programs such as college recruiting or job fairs.

I recommend: The Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association provides an online form you can fill out to analyze when to turn to recruitment agencies or employment agencies. For temporary help, try Business.com’s directory of temp agencies and for general HR outsourcing specialists, use the directory of human resources outsourcing firms.

Posting jobs

Look for a firm that will use a variety of sources for job postings. Some HR outsourcing firms have affiliations with certain job posting sites or organizations and will limit their efforts to those.

I recommend: Accolo uses every source possible for job postings — including referrals, job postings and professional organizations — and offers pay-as-you-go plans that are especially suited to small businesses.

Pre-screening candidates

Having someone else pre-screen applicants is one of the biggest time-saving benefits of employment agencies and recruitment agencies.

I recommend: View an interactive presentation of Manpower's online pre-screening tool, which uses custom questionnaires

Using the Web

Make sure that any firm you consider takes full advantage of online recruiting tools to simplify and streamline the process.

I recommend: Recruitment Enhancement Services (RES) uses Web-based applicant tracking, automated online scheduling and a host of interactive sourcing tools.

Staying within the law

Asking interview questions that get the information you need but remain in accordance with hiring laws takes experience, experience you may not have.

I recommend: At TalentConnections.com, a seasoned recruitment professional handles recruitment tasks so you don't get into legal trouble.

Taking advantage of major firms

Although smaller companies may offer more personalized service, large, nationwide recruitment and employment agencies boast certain advantages. For instance, major firms often have voluminous résumé databases at the ready.

I recommend: Spherion, which has more than 2,000 recruiters, boasts a database of more than 2.5 million résumés.

Considering costs

Recruitment agencies and employment agencies charge in a variety of ways, including a percentage of the salary of the hiree, a project fee or a flat fee per hire.

I recommend: Take an online tour of HyrianOnDemand, which is geared to smaller businesses and charges a flat fee per position that averages one-fifth the cost of a search firm.

Using a recruiter for high-level hires

Executive recruiters keep an eye on who’s who in your industry and will identify and approach candidates who may not be actively looking for work.

I recommend: Business.com’s directory of executive recruiters lists many leading firms.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't get overwhelmed. There are dozens of recruitment agencies and employment agencies that would love to win your business. Remember that your ultimate goal is to bring on employees who will assimilate well into your business culture and help you reach your objectives. Apply the same tactic when choosing a recruitment firm.
• •  Stay flexible. What works today may not be necessarily the best solution in a few months. While outsourcing offers benefits particularly in the start-up stages when you are being pulled in several directions, you'll want to evaluate the pros and cons occasionally.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose employment agencies that work primarily online

When a company works online to find potential hires, its costs are significantly lower than those of traditional recruitment agencies. And while the company may still work from a conventional office to find employees, choosing a company with an online presence can be cheaper for you.

I recommend: OnLine Employment Opportunities uses its website to help people looking for a job connect with employers who are looking to hire people with the right skills. CAREERXCHANGE is another company that provides comprehensive employment services online.

Hire from temp work agencies

Work agencies that specialize in employees who want temporary jobs are a good way to save money, especially if you need to fill positions that require little to no special skills. Temp agencies can often put you in contact with job seekers looking for full time positions, as well as temporary positions. And the best part about hiring through temp agencies is that workers will stay on the agency's payroll, so all you have to worry about is the agency's fee.

I recommend: If you run a seasonal business, using an agency like Cool Works will help you find people that want seasonal work in a variety of industries. This company charges just over $100 for urgent ads, as well as 30-day ads. Frontline Source Group offers temp staffing, as well as direct hire options. Frontline guarantees that its temp staff is paid well over minimum wage in most cases.

Go with employment recruiters that can offer you direct hire or contract options

Companies looking for contracted employees or a direct hire for a permanent position should steer away from the agencies that hire primarily temp work. Fees for finding direct hires are typically the same as temporary staffing, but direct hires are usually permanent. While contracted employees will only work for the company during a specific amount of time, they are more likely to be professional independent contractors paid well over $10, rather than someone looking for a quick temporary position.

I recommend: The AAA Employment Agency provides listings for a variety of industries looking for direct hire, permanent positions. Interstate Personnel offers many permanent positions in office, manufacturing, and even executive level jobs.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  To get the best results from employment staffing agencies, choose an agency that works with a specific industry, such as office employment or industrial employment.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Prescreening

When employment agencies use prescreening techniques on prospective applicants, they are attempting to determine how the applicant matches up to a company's benchmarks.

I recommend: Read the discussion of prescreening techniques at Safer. Find out how employment agencies keep their focus on a client's needs as they decide whether an individual has the background and experience that would add value to the client's business.

Contract to hire

When a company signs on a consultant to provide services for a specified period of time before an actual offer of employment is extended, the company is creating a contract-to-hire situation.

I recommend: Go to Kore One to find out about the details that companies and prospective contract-to-hire employees must agree upon before finalizing these particular employment contracts.

Staffing

Chances are, if your company finds itself in a pinch and must fill a large number of positions in a small amount of time, you'll seek help from staffing agencies that maintain a pool of qualified personnel and can quickly supply the necessary manpower.

I recommend: American Staffing explains a typical approach staffing firms take when their clients need quick-fix solutions. You'll also learn why staffing saves time over the traditional approach to hiring personnel.

Transitioning

Transitioning occurs when an individual who is between permanent jobs considers a career change.

I recommend: Net Temps suggests that more transitioning employees are choosing to temp at jobs before making a final career change. Find out how temping offers an ideal situation for individuals to gain additional training or experience in a career they have never pursued before.

Drug screening

Most companies today require their employees to pass drug screening tests. Drug screening can be done before applicants are hired for permanent positions and even after they are hired, as a condition of continued employment.

I recommend: Go to Employment Drug Testing to find out why all Fortune 500 companies have made drug screening mandatory. You'll also learn about suggested policies for drug screening programs.

Talent management

Talent management refers to a company's ongoing commitment to identifying and recruiting the most talented individuals whose skills are seen as vital to the company's success.

I recommend: Taleo discusses market research studies supporting the theory that talent management is crucial in today's high-tech business world. Read about reports that prove companies that have implemented talent management strategies are seeing real profit growth.