Facts About Staffing Services

Staffing services have been around since the 1890s, becoming popular for the first time after the San Francisco earthquake in 1906. Virtually all agencies are paid by the employer when a job position is filled. That creates a unique relationship in which it is in the best interests of many staffing agencies to offer tips and advice to job-seekers. That, in turn, leads to more income for the staffing agencies.

Three Types of Staffing Services

• Temporary staffing services. These companies find workers for companies who have a short-term need. In some cases, the job may be for as little as a single day. Companies facing shortages in personnel due to season demand, vacation, illness, pregnancy or retirement can quickly fill a crucial opening through temporary staffing services. Some workers choose temporary positions as a lifestyle choice, others rely on temporary jobs until they are able to pick up full-time employment.
• Full-time staffing services. The main difference is that staffing agencies spend more time matching the skills and abilities of job applicants with the policies and practices of the employer. Some staffing agencies are hired on a contract basis to supply full-time workers to a particular company, making it important to understand the nuances and preferences of the company in order to find the right job applicants.
• Executive staffing services. These companies often specialize in a certain industry and deal only with companies looking for supervisory level employees and higher. The fees are usually higher, as well as the work involved to find a proper match between job applicant and employer.

Other Facts About Staffing Services

• Big business. Staffing services supply about 8.6 million workers each year. The staffing agency industry has more than 2 million workers, with about 79 percent full-time workers, according to the American Staffing Association.
• Temporary jobs are attractive. About two-thirds of all temporary workers say they prefer the arrangement because they have the choice of which assignments to accept. About 23 percent said temporary jobs fit their lifestyle. One-third of all temporary workers said they seek employment from temporary staffing agencies because they are constantly being challenged in new work situations.
• Training opportunities. About 9 out of 10 staffing services offer free training to help job applicants land jobs. Approximately 4 out of 10 applicants said they opted for a temporary staffing agency so they could pick up additional job experience and training. Nearly two-thirds of workers placed by staffing services reported that they improved work skills or developed new skills through a temporary assignment.