Let’s start with some good news for those on the job hunt. Unemployment rates are falling (although, admittedly, they are higher than at the start of the pandemic), and there are more jobs out there now – whether you’re working with a staffing company or not.
Unfortunately, a job search can be very draining if you don’t find immediate success. If you are actively searching for a job, odds are you are either unemployed or unhappy in your current job. Either situation isn’t ideal, and research indicates that job-search depression is a very real thing.
The good news is that there are people to help you in your job hunt. By working with a staffing company, you can find a partner to help you in the process of looking for a job – and there are many benefits that come with that.
The Staffing Company Puts Someone in Your Corner
Let’s start with the obvious. When you’re working with a staffing company, you have someone who can help you in every part of your job search.
- Not sure exactly what to put on your resume and how to present your experience for a specific job? Recruiters know what hiring managers are looking for and can give you advice to craft it.
- Want intel about a company? The recruiter knows the company and will be able to help you (more on that later!).
- Been wondering about what your value is and how much you should be making? Recruiters know that information like the back of their hand (and we have an ebook around the topic in IT!).
- Need help just finding jobs in the first place? Recruiters have them and can bring them to you.
- Oftentimes, jobs may not even be publicly available (or at least not easily findable), so a recruiter can present opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise be able to find. They could also find you jobs that you may not have considered even looking for.
A good recruiter is a partner in your job search. They shouldn’t just get to know your skills and experiences, but also who you are as a person, what kind of environment you want to work in, and what you ultimately want to get out of a job. They are there to help you succeed.
A Recruiter Knows You and the Hiring Company
A recruiter doesn’t only need to know you. They also need to know the companies they’re working with to fill roles – intimately. Your success is vital to a staffing company because they need to bring quality employees to their clients so the client will continue working with them. In order to do that, they can’t just find the people with the most certifications or with the most experience. They need to find the right people.
The right people will obviously either have the right hard skills for the job or be able to pick them up relatively quickly. They also need the right soft skills and personality too, though. They need to fit into the culture and become part of the team, to be able to adhere to the values of the company, and to find the work rewarding and fulfilling enough to want to continue to do it.
A recruiter knows the hiring company’s side of these things because they have worked closely with the client to understand them, often over an extended period of time. They will have a relationship of trust that is built on bringing the right people into the hiring company. In many cases, the recruiter will only recommend two or three candidates because they know so well who will be the right fit.
By also working closely with you, they will be able to ensure that you’re placed in a position where you will succeed and feel like you belong. As a bonus, the recruiter will be able to give you the insights you need to help you land that job that could be your calling.
New Opportunities (Maybe Several!)
As mentioned above, staffing companies can help you find opportunities that either may not be publicly available or that you may not have considered before in terms of your career. Those aren’t the only opportunities they can present either. Even if a staffing agency is not currently working with a company that you want to work for, they may have a contact there or be able to help you workshop your resume to suit the position. They can also introduce you to a type of work you may not have previously considered – contract work.
While contract work isn’t for everyone, it can be a great way to work for a company you always wanted to work for and potentially set up a future with them, try something different to your previous experience, or even adapt to a new lifestyle where the flexibility works better for you.
Many large companies work with staffing agencies to find “contract-to-hire” workers – meaning you essentially have a trial run that can range from three months to a year before the company decides whether they want to hire you full time. If you have your heart set on a company, working with a staffing agency can be your way in there.
It is worth acknowledging that being a contract worker isn’t for everyone. With the pandemic ongoing, leaving full-time employment for a contract job is risky because there is no guarantee that you get hired full time or find a new contract at the end of your current contract. However, it can be a good option for those without a job while they look for a permanent position or those confident in a contract-to-hire position converting for them. On top of that, it can be more lucrative financially if you aren’t looking for benefits in the meantime.
Expand Your Network and Your Skillset
You could probably guess the boost to your network that will naturally result from working with a staffing company. Working with a staffing agency puts you in contact with a number of people, including the recruiter you’re working with, the hiring teams they put you in touch with, and new colleagues (either temporarily or permanently). This can expand your network exponentially, especially if you’re either relatively early in your career or if you’ve worked in a single job for a long time.
Working with a staffing company can also rapidly expand your skillset. Your recruiter may be able to recommend a few tips and tricks that could help set you up for success in new positions. Alternatively, the temporary option gives you the chance to learn new skills and maybe find some new interests for your next job – whether that’s contract or full time.
Are you looking for a new job and want the right partner to help you? Check out our available positions and get in touch!
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