When you partner with a recruiting firm, you’re basically handing over the majority of your job search to a group of people—although, hopefully a talented, well-connected group of people who can get you in the door at companies you may not have access to. To take the “hopefully” out of the equation and increase your chances of finding work that really meets your needs, you need to be selective when choosing an agency. Are you working with the one that’s best for you?
Did You Do Your Research?
Is your agency national or local? This can make a difference in how much attention and focus you get—and also in whether they offer benefits, such as healthcare and vacation time. Do they represent the industries you want to work in? Finally, do they hire for all types of positions temp, temp-to-hire, permanent, or all three? Basically, does the agency you’re working with give you everything that’s important to you?
Are You Getting a Fair Shot?
A good recruiting agency wants to keep its workers happy—and employed. Has yours ever spoken to you about your goals? Do they know who you are when you call (a larger agency should assign you to a specific recruiter)? If you feel you’re not getting enough work, ask them the following questions:
- How many resumes do you send a client for each job opening? Obviously, the higher the number, the lower your chance of getting a job. You want them to tell you they only send a small number of carefully considered resumes.
- On average, how long should I expect to wait between assignments? This is an important question to ask especially if you work on contract (temporary) assignments. You want to hear that your agency works hard to keep you working consistently.
- Do many of your temp-to-hire employees eventually get hired by the client? If your goal is to be hired permanently, choose an agency with a successful track record in getting employees hired.
Do They Treat You Right?
How do you feel about working with this agency? How are you treated when you call? Do they know who you are? Do they take the time to talk to you or do you often feel brushed off? When you visit the office, is the atmosphere tense or friendly? You want a staffing agency whose workers are pleasant to deal with as well as knowledgeable.
At Synerfac, we pride ourselves on matching qualified talent to positions that will complement and improve our employees’ job skills and experience while providing professional and financial rewards. Call us and see what we can do for you!