Staffing agencies provide an outsourced service for clients in need of filling positions. With the goal of meeting an organization’s workforce needs efficiently, a staffing agency goes through a detailed staffing process. When employers are considering this service for their organization, it is essential to understand the step-by-step process of staffing.
Staffing Process:
Processes may vary depending on the needs of a client partnering with an agency, given direct hiring and temporary staffing each involves different processes. Both direct hiring and temporary staffing share the same initial steps leading up to once the candidates are selected.
1. Intake Call – Client’s Hiring Manager and Recruiter:
It all begins with an intake call where a client discusses their staffing needs and requirements with the staffing agency. The client’s hiring manager and the recruiter discuss logistics regarding the position(s) that need to be filled. The hiring manager outlines the job requirements, the desired number of employees, compensation rates, and the expected duration of employment. Throughout this meeting, the recruiter takes this information to create a job description for posting on the agency’s website or on various job boards. Conducting this intake call is an important part of an effective partnership.
2. Actively Recruit Candidates:
After the client understands their needs, the agency’s recruitment team goes to work and practices active recruiting to seek potential candidates. They start reaching out to potential candidates who match the client’s job description. On platforms like Indeed, candidates can be reached out to by recruiters, but they must confirm their interest in the position before contact information can be shared with the recruiter. LinkedIn offers multiple avenues for gaining candidate contact information. One of these avenues is opening their contact card from their profile. However, LinkedIn users can decide what contact information to share on their profile, which may limit the recruiter’s contact efforts. Another option is messaging the candidate directly through LinkedIn’s messaging feature, InMail. However, if a candidate utilizes the direct apply feature, recruiters gain immediate access to their contact information and resume. Another option is for the recruiter to reach out to their talent pools, which consist of candidates they have established relationships with for future job placements.
3. Interview with the Recruiter:
At this stage of the staffing process, agencies conduct screening interviews to evaluate candidates. The interview is conducted by the recruiter and serves as an opportunity to dive deeper into the candidate’s background, qualifications, and experience. Reference checks are included in this step of the process, as it verifies the candidate’s work history, performance, and character. The recruiter also validates the candidate’s educational credentials. This confirms the candidate’s degrees, certifications, and any relevant training or coursework. Additional checks like these provide necessary insights into the candidates’ past work.
4. Client Interview:
Once suitable candidates are identified, the recruiter coordinates interviews between the client and the candidates. This is the client’s opportunity to assess the candidates and their qualifications firsthand.
5. Client Feedback:
After the interviews are completed, the staffing agency gathers feedback from the client. This discussion allows the client to express their opinions on the quality of the candidate pool. Client feedback helps in future recruitment processes by providing a more comprehensive analysis of the client’s requirements and preferences.
Importance of a Staffing Agency Process
Understanding the staffing process with a staffing agency is crucial for employers. Whether a client is performing temporary staffing or direct hiring, understanding the staffing process is essential. Knowing the step-to-step staffing process will enable a client to make informed decisions throughout their outsourced partnership, leading to successful staffing outcomes.
