According to the American Staffing Association, more than 30% of companies in the US use staffing firms, and 40% of employees looking for their first job—or who are reentering the job market—have done so by working with a staffing agency.  The staffing industry has evolved and grown significantly in recent years. Staffing agencies employ 15 million people each year nation-wide, with 646,800 temporary workers in Ohio alone!

In spite of this, there are still many misconceptions regarding working with a staffing agency:

I only want a “real” job, not a temporary job.

The jobs available through staffing agencies are “real” jobs—staffing agency clients include everything from local small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. These companies develop budgets to hire a set number of full-time employees on an annual basis. Included in that budget is a substantial amount of money that can be used to hire temporary staff throughout the year to handle the ebb and flow of business. When the time comes for the company to open up the temporary position as full-time, you are perfectly positioned to interview for the full-time job. According to the American Staffing Association, over 1/3 of temporary employees were offered a full time position by the employer on their assignment.

The jobs available through staffing agencies are low paying jobs.

Staffing agency employees are typically offered assignments commensurate with their skills and experience.  Recent graduates or individuals with less experience will fall into the entry level range. However, for many candidates an entry level position gets them in the door—it is up to you to decide how to leverage that opportunity so that you can take your career to the next level! According to a 2017 survey, 92% of temporary workers have a satisfying experience when working through a staffing agency, with 9 out of 10 people saying it made them more employable in the long run.

It costs money to use a staffing agency.

Not true! Acloché is always a 100% free to use service for a job seeker. You won’t be charged for our services at any point—even after you are placed!

Staffing agencies only work with entry level, administrative type candidates.

Twenty years ago, that may have been the case.  Today, specialty firms place professional, managerial, medical, and technical candidates. Additionally, many agencies are more general in nature and place candidates in industrial, warehouse, administrative, and customer service jobs, as well as many other professions.  Staffing agencies work with a wide variety of companies that offer opportunities for candidates who are looking to get their foot in the door or change industries.  Staffing agencies work with applicants from entry level to upper management, in every industry imaginable! 

Assignments only last a couple of weeks at a time.

It depends upon the assignment. Assignments can last anywhere from one day, to a couple of weeks, to several months or more. If you perform well, enjoy the position, and the company is pleased with your efforts, you may be hired full-time. An advantage of working with a staffing agency is that you get exposed to a variety of companies, positions, and opportunities that you may never otherwise have experienced. It’s the easiest way to find out what you like about different companies in a very short period of time. After three or four long-term assignments, you’ll have a much better idea of what you’re looking for in terms of company culture, the type of boss that you work best with, and the type of work you enjoy doing.