Staffing Services can give you great flexibility to increase your workforce for seasonal peaks, provide coverage for planned absences, or help with well-defined projects that

require unique skill sets. When you need temporary staff, it’s almost always best to work with an agency to find candidates and fill these positions.  Most temp placement fees are billed as a markup on the employee’s hourly rate.

Use this approach when:

• You have short-term needs or limited-scope projects such as leave coverage or seasonal work.
• External factors prevent you from direct hire options.
• You have clear needs and want a streamlined hiring process.

Keep in mind:

• Treat your temp employees with just as much respect and consideration as you would your own – this will help them feel included, be more productive, and reflect well on you as a destination for talent. This is true for temp-to-hire and managed services as well.
• Temp positions should have a set duration. While the duration can be extended, it should not be arbitrary.
• Remember – all HR feedback goes to the supplying vendor, not directly to the employees!

Working with staffing or recruiting agencies is not for everyone, and it’s not necessary for every situation. But there are often many benefits to getting outside help with your hiring. Recruiting new employees is like any other skilled profession: anyone can do it, but sometimes it helps to work with a professional.

The variety of recruiting service options offer a lot of flexibility to get the right workforce for your needs. At Cinder, roughly half of our positions are managed services, a quarter are temp-to-hire, and a quarter are temp staffing (with a few direct hires sprinkled in for good measure). We find that some candidates will only consider direct hire or temp-to-hire, but we also find that the client’s work culture is just as important as the position type in the eyes of many candidates.

One final tip: Recruiting and staffing agencies can be a valuable resource, but remember that any agency you work with is only as good as the information you provide them. When you work with an agency, be sure to provide clear job descriptions, let them know as your needs change, and provide timely feedback on candidates in order to build the best possible partnership.

There are a lot of industry terms in the recruiting and staffing world. If you want to learn more, refer to this glossary of recruiting terms that we’ve been building.

*This content was originally written as a guest post on Mac’s list, available here: https://www.macslist.org/for-employers/hiring-decisions-should-you-use-a-recruiter-or-staffing-agency-to-hire-new-employees\