Staffing and recruiting agencies don’t just work with businesses to place candidates. They also work with people looking for jobs to find great open positions that fit a job seeker’s skills, qualifications, and desires. 

If you are a job seeker, you may find it intimidating to consider working with a recruiting agency to help you find and apply for open positions. But it shouldn’t be. Working with a staffing agency means direct access to companies that are actively hiring for open positions and the partnership of someone who really knows the industry you are looking for a job in. Many people think that staffing agencies only place candidates in temporary jobs and that simply is not true. Staffing agencies work to place candidates in temporary positions, contract-to-hire positions, and full-time positions. 

Why should a job seeker work with a staffing agency?

Your job search is easier. 

Staffing agencies have so much information on who is hiring and for what. They are a treasure trove of hot tips and intel on open positions that companies are hiring for right now.

Recruiters also understand job applicants and how to pair their skills with what a business needs and desires in a candidate. They are skilled in their industries and can help bridge the gap between you and your next career.

Like we mentioned, you gain access to multiple jobs and employers. 

Working with a recruiting agency means access to multiple employers with open positions. Recruiters can help you figure out what jobs you are a fit for and take the time to learn about you to pair you with the best opportunities. You can also gain access to jobs that are not on job sites. A recruiter also can help you stretch your job search out more so you add more muscle behind your search (with more people helping you look!)

Support you need to find a great opportunity. 

Recruiters also help job seekers polish their resume to make the best and biggest impact with companies with open positions. They often think of it as part of their job to talk to candidates and polish their experience and skills in a way that makes their resumes shine. With a recruiter, you’ll get the support you need to help uncover opportunities. You don’t need to and won’t feel alone in the entire job search process. Staffing agencies understand the difficulties of finding a job, understand their industries, know what their business clients are looking for, and are here to help match the right candidate with the right job opening. 

Businesswoman or job seeker review his resume in coffee shop before send to finding a new job with pen and laptop, Business people concept.

So how can you find the right staffing agency to partner with for your job search? 

First, keep an open mind.

Staffing and recruiting agencies sometimes get a bad reputation. Good, reputable staffing agencies are integral to both their clients and to job seekers. They add insurmountable value to businesses both big and small. 

Don’t get stuck thinking that you don’t need or want help finding open positions in the industry you want to work in. Staffing and recruiting agencies have so many more resources and tools than the normal job seeker has access to…. So don’t be afraid to use a reputable staffing agency to help you find your next dream job.

Also keep an open mind when it comes to what kind of placement you are looking for. While a long-term placement may be ideal, working with a staffing agency that does temporary staffing can still be beneficial. You can learn new skills in temporary jobs, and you may also learn about companies you previously had not known about that could be a good fit for you.

Second, consider what their speciality is.

Some staffing and recruiting agencies work in specific industries and some work with specific skill sets. 

Choose a firm that specializes in both the industry and types of jobs you are most interested in. Agencies that align with your desired industry and job means that they have experience successfully placing candidates. And successfully placing candidates is a big deal! 

Firms that staff for too many industries or too many job roles and specialties may not be as capable of presenting you to a client in a way that showcases your skills and abilities. You want to make sure your staffing agency has years of success working in the industry and job role that you are seeking. 

A lot of so-called staffing agencies say they work in industries and place candidates in job roles, but can end up being “resume farms.” Learning more about staffing agencies (like how long they’ve been in business) can help you decide which agency to use. Be sure to check them out socially and make sure to visit their website and read about their company and company culture. You can tell a lot about a good business from their website! 

Interviewer or Board reading a resume during a job interview, Employer interviewing a young female job seeker for recruitment talking in modern office, employment and recruitment concept.

Think local.

Local staffing agencies can help you find open opportunities in your area that work best with your skill set and your past experience. 

It’s also great if the company has more than one branch in a few different areas. This can help you if you are considering moving for an opportunity, and it also shows you that the company saw similar opportunities in a few other markets and wanted to help those communities, too.

Local staffing agencies are also working to make their communities better by finding and pairing open positions with qualified candidates. Creating a robust workforce in communities makes the community a great place to work and live! 

Multiracial hr managers laughing at funny humor joke during job interview talking to woman applicant, candidate makes good first impression at excited african and caucasian recruiters, hiring concept

Know there are staffing experts out there, ready to help. 

At GTR, we’ve been successfully placing candidates for over 17 years. And that isn’t an accident!

We’ve worked hard to create a holistic way of recruiting and hiring that has allowed us to develop great relationships with both our business clients and job seekers in the markets we serve. 

We are also extremely proud of the work we’ve done in communities to place qualified candidates with businesses that have open jobs. We love the feeling we get when we successfully place and are working to make our local communities better places to live, play, and work.

Contact us today if you are looking for a staffing agency to help you find open jobs in your market. We are here to help.