5 things to consider when choosing a staffing agency

Hiring new employees can be stressful and time consuming, whether your Human Resources Department is a one person show, or more robust. Partnering with a staffing agency allows organization to quickly arrive at narrowed down list of the best candidates for the jobs available and and alleviates the stress that the hiring process can cause. According to Huffington Post, $11 billion is lost because of employee turnover each year. That is crazy! Fortunately, choosing the right recruitment and staffing firm can help your organization ensure that you make the right hiring decision so that turnover will not be a problem in your organization. 

With that in mind, here are 5 things to consider when choosing a staffing firm:

What kind of positions need be filled? 
Are you seeking temporary employees for a short-term project? Or, maybe the project is more long-term? Could it be that you are seeking a direct-hire employee? Look for an agency that offer the services that you are looking for so that they can address your needs. 

What industry are you in? 
Industry is a very important thing to consider when choosing a staffing agency. If you are seeking assistance with staffing operators for the manufacturing floor, you wouldn't want to work with an agency that specializes in placing clerical staff in non-manufacturing settings. 

Flexibility and Partnership
Figure out what you want out of the relationship with your staffing agency and be ready to share your opinions and views on the process. The agency that will be a good fit for you will want to partner with you and incorporate your ideas into their strategy in order to find the best people for your company. 

Screening and Testing
Find out if the staffing firm conducts screening and/or testing to evaluate if the candidate is a good fit for your organization. Some agencies do skills assessments, background test, and drug testing. This can be a cost savings to your company if there is no additional cost to you! 

Find out the Process
Learning what the staffing firm's process entails can uncover whether their techniques are passive, active, or a combination of both. Also, by asking questions, you can also find out if they are able to attract the type of talent that is desired in your organization.