Job Seeker Guide To Selecting A Staffing Firm
Applicants have many choices when it comes to selecting a temporary staffing firm. No two temporary staffing firms are alike. When I started in the temporary staffing business about 17 years ago, temporary staffing firms placed two categories of workers: Clerical and Light Industrial. Today there are temporary staffing firms that focus in many different areas to include Information Technology, Medical, Sales/Marketing, Legal and Accounting just to name a few.
How should applicants navigate the difficult process of finding a temporary staffing firm that is best suited to fit their career goals?
A recent Google search on temporary staffing firms in Baltimore, Maryland, pulled up 80 firms. Most temporary staffing firms have a website that provides information about the types of positions they staff, a on line employment application and history about their firm. Similar to how you research a prospective employer's website prior applying, you should do the same with temporary staffing firms.
Contact the temporary staffing firm if you have questions about their employment process. A reputable temporary staffing firm should be responsive and return calls timely even if they cannot assist you with employment at that time. They may be able to refer you to another temporary staffing firm that can provide assistance. Other questions you should ask include:
- What is your employment process?
- Where are most of your opportunities located?
- What is the length of most of your positions?
- What are the salary ranges for positions that I would quality for?
Once you have applied with a temporary staffing firm, it is acceptable to follow up within a week or two if you have not heard back from them. Most firms keep your information on file for 6 months to a year. So don't be surprised if you receive a call from the temporary staffing firm 3 or 4 months after you have applied about another position.
Most temporary staffing firms in Maryland do not charge a fee to the job seeker. This is especially the case if the employee is paid weekly by the temporary staffing firm and receives a W2 at the end of the year.
You should apply with at least two or three different temporary staffing firms. Remember, three temporary staffing firms could have three totally different set of clients. Please be fair and communicate regularly with each firm. If you find employment with one temporary staffing firm, please notify the others that you are no longer available. Keep a positive relationship and don't burn your bridges. You never know when you may need them again.
Tasha Turner
