Researching Staffing Agencies Can Avert Unwanted Delays in the Hiring Process
Whenever any employer implements a policy or procedure for the first time, there could likely be some degree of uncertainty that coexists with the excitement and expectations of making a strategic change. New package designs, changes in advertising/promotional messages, and the revamping of a product line are all cases where there is the potential for discomfort/growing pains in tandem with anticipated favourable customer responses.
That is why many companies conduct market research, sometimes exhaustively, before moving in a new or different direction; they need assurance that the risks are minimized and that they are implementing the best strategy for success. Without such a thorough approach, these companies could stand to lose a significant amount of money, through both the investment costs in their new plan/changes as well as in future revenues.
In a parallel fashion, this thought process can be applied to recruiting and hiring. It is a widely accepted fact that poor hiring decisions can be expensive decisions; the cost of the initial hiring, the cost of a dismissal or termination, and the cost of re-hiring for the same job. Therefore, due to the importance of attracting and retaining quality talent, and the subsequent impact of these good hiring decisions on the future of the business, more and more employers are turning to staffing agencies for their recruiting/hiring needs.
However, it is also commonly accepted that all staffing agencies are not alike. To that end, in the same manner that employers invest in research for their strategic initiatives, they should assess various recruiting firms to find the agency that best suits their needs. If not, they again run the risk of spending a good deal of money with little to no return on their investment.
Unfortunately, there are too many examples of staffing agency nightmares, situations in which employers were led to believe something other than what ultimately transpired.
Despite promises from agency personnel that they will fulfill the placement contract, an employer’s hiring needs will actually be hindered or derailed by such circumstances as:
- Recommendations of underqualified or unqualified candidates
- Recommendation of the same candidate for different positions
- Agency lacks the experience to recruit for the specific industry
- Passive recruiting – agency does not actively pursue candidates
- Too many recommendations – emphasis on quantity over quality
- High turnover – new recruiters assigned to the same client account
Any/all of the above can be particularly frustrating to an employer, especially one who has decided to use a staffing agency for the first time. In addition to creating a negative impression about all agencies in general, at the proverbial end of the day, the employer still has a vacancy or vacancies to fill.
It is therefore very important, particularly for first-time collaborations, that employers invest the time to research/identify the agency that can deliver the staffing results they need, instead of delays and drawbacks they can ill-afford.
A Qualified Staffing Agency Will Be Ready-and-Willing to Answer All Questions
When employers are in the process of assessing a staffing agency for compatibility or, for want of a better word, fit with their organization, there are several specific areas that should be explored. The quality and depth of the information/responses provided, rather than promises/claims that focus on generalities, will help in determining the right agency moving forward.
In fact, experienced and highly-qualified agencies, such as Winters Technical Staffing, should expect and be ready-and-willing to answer employer questions like the following:
- What is their recruiting experience within the industry?
- What is their understanding of the skills needed to succeed?
- How do they keep their industry knowledge fresh/up-to-date?
- Do they assign a dedicated recruiter or search by committee?
- Have they placed candidates with any competitors in the past?
- Can they describe their recruiting/screening processes in detail?
- How do they identify potential candidates? How do they recruit?
- How many candidates will be targeted/contacted for the job(s)?
- What is their specific fee structure for recruiting and placement?
- What guarantees do they offer? How do they fulfill the guarantees?
- Will they provide feedback/satisfaction scores from prior placements?
Winters Technical Staffing does indeed welcome any/all questions from employers who are contemplating and/or in need of a staffing agency to lead recruiting and hiring initiatives on its behalf. Based on more than 40 years of successfully filling the staffing needs of its clients, employers can rest assured that Winters Technical Staffing has the capabilities to form a reliable and long-lasting partnership.
Contact Winters Today
For all your staffing needs, including full-time, part-time, or contract-based, employers can count on the experience and expertise of Winters Technical Staffing, a leading agency within Toronto and the GTA for more than 40 years. Call the professionals at Winters Technical Staffing today at 1-866-932-5248 to arrange a discussion on how we can best serve the recruiting needs and interests of your company.
