If you are spending any time looking for a new job then there’s a good chance that you will come across employment agencies that will offer you a position. If you’ve never worked with an employment agency before then you may not really know what to expect. This can become even more confusing if you are trying to juggle multiple employment agencies at the same time, especially if they are different types. Here’s a closer look at what employment agencies are and what you need to know before using one.
- Manpower Staffing was founded in 1948, and has been successfully matching workers with employers ever since.
- Kelly Services is considered to be the original temporary employment agency.
- CoreStaff is a staffing agency that has become much more popular over the last several years.
- Aerotek has been a leader in the staffing industry for almost 30 years.
- Adecco is a popular employment agency that is most well-known for providing temporary positions to job seekers.
There are Several Different Kinds of Employment Agencies
The most important thing to understand is that not all employment agencies are the same. While you could potentially break them down to very specific subgroups there are two primary differences that you need to be aware of. The first big difference is what type of employment opportunities the agency focuses on. The most well-known is temporary employment agencies. They tend to primarily offer entry-level positions which are either a set period of employment or temp-to-hire positions. On the other end of the spectrum there are very specialized employment agencies that focus solely on filling vacancies for executive positions (middle-management and higher). Another common difference is whether or not the employment agency is local or national. Local employment agencies tend to have better connections with small local businesses, however they may not get as many contracts from large nationwide companies.
Always Ask about Commission
It has become standard practice for the hiring company to pay the commission to the employment agency, however this isn’t always the case. While this is rarely something that will affect you, it’s always safer to ask before accepting a position whether any of the commission will come out of your paycheck.
You Will Always be Pre-Screened
Another important thing to keep in mind is that you will never get hired for a job without going through the employment agency screening process. In fact, this is one of the reasons that employment agencies are becoming more popular than ever. The professional staffing industry has grown significantly over the past several years because employers are getting more applicants and resumes than ever before. By allowing the employment agency to do the pre-screening and initial interview the company doesn’t have to worry about it. This not only means that you will have to take some tests, normally lasting several hours, before being offered a position, but you will also likely find out about positions that are not publicly advertised.
They Do Require You to Make an Effort
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding employment agencies is that once you go through the pre-screening in testing, they will do the rest. While they will do their best to help you find some type of employment, they are doing this for hundreds of people every week, sometimes every day. This means that if you just sit back and wait then you will likely fall through the cracks. A majority of staffing services will have a set time for you to call in if you are available. This is either daily or several times a week. It is your responsibility to always call them and let them know your availability is. By doing this, you will stay in the forefront of your recruiters mind which means that they are more likely to give you the next available position. Plus, if you don’t call in the employment agency will normally assume that you have found employment elsewhere or simply are not available.
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