A majority of job seekers in the U.S. turn to staffing agencies to further their careers. Statistics from the American Staffing Association (ASA) revealed that roughly 14 million Americans find employment through a recruitment agency every year, and around 3 million contract or part-time employees work for American staffing agencies in any given week. The benefits of using a staffing agency are clear for the job seeker – but what about the employer? The truth is, the value goes both ways. The advantages of using a staffing agency include a large network of qualified candidates, a streamlined recruitment process, and boosted new hire ROI, to name a few.

“14 million Americans find employment through a staffing agency every year.”

Staffing agencies carry a number of strengths that make them invaluable to a company’s candidate search. Recruitment firms possess not only a comprehensive understanding of the current job market, but they also have a more extensive reach to a wider pool of candidates. For example, staffing agencies are generally well-connected and have the resources to reach top-class passive candidates who may not necessarily be looking for a new job. According to LinkedIn, some of the very finest recruiting agencies will spend the majority of their time – up to 90 percent of it – reaching out to passive candidates and networking with organizations.
To gain the most value from a staffing agency, hiring managers can utilize top strategies. By following the steps below, companies will be able to optimize the success of their relationship with their staffing firm and ensure they boost the ROI on new hires.
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Find a Niche Staffing Agency to Suit Hiring Needs

You will find the most value from a niche staffing agency that specializes in the kinds of positions you are offering. Why use a staffing agency that staffs a wide range of positions when you can find one that specializes in recruiting the candidates you really need?
There are a number of staffing agencies that find job seekers across a spectrum of business sectors, but they tend to be less effective than staffing agencies that focus specifically on one or a few different areas. Niche staffing agencies focus on specific positions within a department in a range of industries.

Not only will staffing agencies specialize in positions they staff, but also the employment type. Determine whether the position you are offering will be a contract, contract-to-hire, or direct hire role. By adding these criteria within your search, you have the potential to narrow down your results, leading you to the most suitable agency for your hiring needs.
Furthermore, it’s necessary to understand if the staffing agency in question carries out certain screening measures, such as criminal background checks and drug testing should this be a requirement. A recruitment agency that implements such measures beforehand will likely be more effective at presenting your company with the strongest possible candidates.

Set Up Regular Meetings

Once the very best agency has been selected, you should ensure that an agency representative is willing to get to know your company on a deeper and more involved level. According to the ASA, this can include a site visit if your agency is local.  This would allow them to learn more about your organization and the positions available.
After the initial meeting, regular communication is key to establishing an effective working relationship with a staffing agency. Email contact will suffice for small, day-to-day details. However, utilize routine meetings as a way to check-in and ensure both parties are on the same page, working towards the same goal. The ASA advised that hiring managers actively inquire about the processes and techniques that their agency of choice utilizes to find their talent. Routine input from hiring managers can strengthen the working relationship further, guaranteeing that a company receives the best ROI from their next employee.