HELP WANTED: WHAT COMPANIES SHOULD EXPECT FROM A STAFFING FIRM PARTNER
The job market is becoming increasingly tight, which makes finding qualified candidates to fill open jobs a Herculean effort. Recently, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the job openings rate at the end of 2006 rose to its highest point since February 2001. December saw an increase by 3.2 percent in job openings, narrowing the pool of qualified candidates even further.
To compound this difficulty, many employers feel overwhelmed when faced with the prospect of having to wade through Internet résumés and online applications, or field phone calls from potential candidates who read an ad in the newspaper.
Enter the staffing firm. When employers want to turn over their staffing needs to an expert, they start by locating a qualified and dependable firm to handle their human resources needs – but
finding a good firm is harder than just picking up the phone. Dan Glazier, chief operating officer of Snelling Staffing Services, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, has compiled the following tips
specifically to help employers find a good staffing partner:
- Ask how long the firm has been in business.
- Review the hiring process.
- Ask about the tenure and experience of the agency’s staff.
- Make sure that the firm is familiar with all employment laws.
- Check customer references and the Better Business Bureau.
- Don’t base your decision on price alone.
- Seek a firm that specializes in finding candidates for your industry.
- Interview several firms.
- Ask how many candidates walk in the door each month.
- Ask the firm to come to your job site, and communicate openly and specifically about your needs.
Finding a good staffing firm doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and once you’ve formed a relationship with one that knows your business and is interested in being a true partner, you’ll be able to find the perfect employees, too.