What is the Role of a Temporary Staffing Agency?
Businesses are always looking to add strong talent to their team with expertise in niche areas, and as a job seeker, you have a plethora of options when it comes to how you find these opportunities. A great place to start is by working with a temporary staffing agency. Think of it almost as a matchmaking process where talent is matched with an agency, and ultimately with the right organization.
Also known as employment agencies and recruitment firms, staffing agencies are an excellent resource for individuals seeking work, as well as for companies with an open job requirement or “req.” The advantage as a job seeker is that it allows you to dip your toe into the water and potentially “try before you buy” to determine if a company is a right fit for you. Many businesses turn to staffing agencies for their recruitment needs because it saves them both time and money.
“Companies are trying to be more productive and only have workers when they are absolutely needed. “They need to find ways to make sure every dollar they spend is going to help the business. Temp staffing allows them to only have people when they need them, and those people are being productive.” – AJ Brustein, CEO and co-founder of on-demand staffing platform Wonolo
Recruitment
Staffing agencies take the entire recruitment process into their hands. The recruiter’s role is to write and publicize the job postings and announcements via print, media, and online. They are also responsible for collecting and reviewing resumes, answering incoming questions, scheduling and conducting initial/pre-screen interviews, and in some cases, facilitating training and orientation.
When a recruiter is satisfied with a job seeker, they will add him or her to their agency’s roster and present the applicant to the appropriate organization(s) when jobs become available. In some cases and with very large customers, the temp agency may be co-located with the customer – meaning that the staffing agency’s office is located onsite at the customer. These are referred to as onsite or Vendor on Premise (VOP) arrangements.
Responsibilities
Some agencies provide what’s called “end-to-end staffing solutions,” which means that they work from beginning to end for a client, and may handle a number of the following and greatly streamline your hiring process:
- Workforce management: Understanding the workload needs of the company and determining the workforce needed
- Pre-screening: Conducting background checks and reviewing candidate employment history
- Documentation: Drawing up contracts as needed and reviewing legal issues
- Performance: Following up on the performance of temporary workers to ensure they are meeting the client’s expectations
- Termination: Terminating workers that may not be right-fit and handling compensation as needed
Types of roles
When it comes to temporary staffing, recruiters typically target job seekers who are looking for part-time, temporary, or what’s known as “gig” work. Oftentimes this is short-term or contract work and can be anything from a side-hustle job to freelance projects based on professional skills.
This could also equate to a seasonal role or the need to backfill an employee for a set amount of time that is out on leave. Sometimes businesses bring in temporary talent solely for their expertise and assistance on a project, but they may not necessarily need them full-time.
In some cases, organizations will hire temporary workers on what’s called a temp-to-hire basis. This means that there may be the possibility for the temporary role to become a full-time job should performance criteria be met. For job seekers who aren’t ready to jump in head first, this is a great way to get to know a company in advance. Additionally, staffing agencies may offer direct hire services whereby a client company outsources the hiring process directly to the staffing company. Outsourcing the hiring process can speed or expedite the process and often greatly reduce the real costs associated with the hiring and recruiting process.
There are many different types of staffing agencies, and they are typically aligned with specific lines of business. SURESTAFF has more than twenty years of experience in the staffing industry and specializes in recruitment for warehouse, logistics, and skilled trades. The agency offers temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct hire placements in a number of different settings.
Learn more and start your job search today!
About the Author
Kim 
is a seasoned content marketing professional with over twelve years of corporate communications experience. Her sweet spot is with creative writing both short and long-form, and she has a proven track record working with IBM, Jackson Healthcare, and Walt Disney World, among many others. Kim is also a singer and actress and has been performing on stage and screen her entire life and has a great passion for TV and film production. Connect with Kim on LinkedIn.