How Does a Staffing Company Work?

You’ve seen dozens of ads for them and heard about them through the grapevine, but what exactly is a staffing company and how does a staffing company work?

We’ve got a comprehensive guide to teaching you everything you need to know about staffing companies. Let’s get started.

What is a staffing company?

Think of a staffing company, also known as an employment agency, as a type of matchmaking service—like eHarmony for jobs, but FREE!

When a business needs to hire an employee, they can call a staffing company to help them recruit, screen, and fill their open position.

How does a staffing company work?

While we can’t speak for every staffing company, here is how our streamlined process works.

Step 1: Apply

Go to altres.com/jobseeker and apply to any of the positions that interest you.

Step 2: Phone Assessment

You may receive an email invitation to call us. When you call, you will speak with a Personnel Manager (think of this as your personal, go-to job expert) about your career goals so we can better understand what you’re looking for.

There are three different types of positions that we place people in: temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct hire.

Step 3: Application and Skills Assessment

For certain positions, you may be asked to complete an online application* and skills assessment. This helps us evaluate your job-related abilities.

*Note: An online application is different than the account you set up when you first started. Your account will only hold basic information including your name, email address, and resume. The online application, on the other hand, is a formalized job application, just like what you’d fill out at any other company.

Step 4: In-person or Virtual Interview

Qualified candidates who match well with our open positions will be invited for an in-person or virtual interview. If we believe you would make a great match with some of our clients, you will move on to the next step.

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Bonus Tip: Preparing for a big interview? We’ve got you covered! Check out a few of our tips on answering some of the toughest interview questions.

• Why should we hire you?
• Why did you leave your last job?
• What other companies are you interviewing with?

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Step 5: Client Matching

ALTRES Staffing will present you to our clients for consideration. Our clients will ultimately make the final hiring decision—we have no control over who they pick and who they pass up.

Step 6: Placement

If our client decides they want to place you, your Personnel Manager will give you instructions on accepting the job offer or beginning the temporary assignment.

If our client does not choose you, do not be discouraged. Not everyone will match a current job opening or accept the first job offer. Our advice: Keep browsing our job board and continue to apply for positions that appeal to you.

Why should I use a staffing company instead of applying directly to a company?

You may be wondering why you should work through a staffing company when you could easily just apply directly to a company. Here are four benefits of working with a staffing company:

1. Access to jobs you can’t find anywhere else. A staffing company often has positions that aren’t publicly listed on a company’s website. This is because many companies don’t have the time to recruit themselves, so they rely on the expertise of a staffing company to get them the best match possible.
2. Power to negotiate better pay. We know industry pay averages and can easily assess how your skills stack up, so that we can help you negotiate a fair salary.
3. Expert feedback. Ever wonder why a company never called you back after your interview? You may never know. But when you work with a staffing company, the Personnel Manager acts as your liaison to offer you valuable feedback on your resume, dress code, interview, etc.
4. Privy to new opportunities. If it doesn’t work out for one job, staffing companies are getting new jobs practically every hour, so you’ll never miss any opportunity.

Do I have to pay to work with a staffing company?

Never! Staffing companies are strictly employer-paid, so jobseekers like yourself are never charged a fee, even if we place you in a position.

What are my odds of finding a job through a staffing company?

Good question. It really depends on your skills and background. Most staffing companies can’t hire someone with absolutely zero work experience. But, simply registering with a staffing company gives you a leg up as far as keeping tabs on what positions companies are hiring for and what skills they’re looking for.

How do I pick the right staffing company to work with?

Staffing companies do not force you to work with only one agency. You could sign up with every staffing firm on the island, if you really wanted to.

However, it is important to note that some staffing firms specialize in a specific industry. For example, some only recruit office professionals while other companies, like ALTRES Staffing, recruit for a wider range of industries including office, technical, industrial, and medical positions.

So depending on your chosen career field, do some research on what each staffing firm has to offer.

If you’re looking for a job, consider working with ALTRES Staffing.  Our goal is to assist every jobseeker that comes through our doors—whether it’s matching them with one of our clients or by offering career tips and advice through our knowledgeable staff.