Are you in need of a few seasonal employees for maybe a few months or even less? Rather than creating an entire recruitment drive from scratch to fill up the positions, why not get in touch with a temp agency for the purpose? Now, it’s understandable that you aren’t really familiar with how the process works for a temp agency if you have never worked with them before. So, here’s a detailed idea to help you out!
Why is hiring from a temp agency a good idea?
If you are still in two minds about whether to contact a temp agency or not, it’s important to realize the benefits that come with considering such an agency. So, before getting into the details of hiring from them, let’s take a look at all the reasons why you should.
Speed up the hiring process
The foremost reason to consider temp agencies in Chicago is that it will remarkably speed up your hiring process. When you are looking to fill up a particular number of positions faster so that the productivity does not suffer, getting in touch with such an agency would be a good idea.
Less screening required
Temp agencies run a basic screening and check on each of the candidates on their database. Thus, you do not need to worry too much about starting the screening process from scratch.
Hire for different posts at once
If you have multiple positions to hire for at the same time, writing different job descriptions and putting out different ads can be quite the hassle. It is much easier to just communicate the brief to the temp agency and let them find you suitable candidates from their database.
How to hire temporary employees from a temp agency
Now that you have made up your mind about hiring from a temp agency, here’s a brief overview of how you should proceed.
#1 Determine the job positions you want to fill
The first thing you need to consider is the kind of job positions for which you want the employees. Though it is a temporary position, you will still need to outline what it entails. Maybe you need a temporary employee during a busy season or just want to fill the position while your permanent employee is on leave.
You need to start by understanding your requirement for the seasonal employee. After all, being overstaffed is just as bad for business as understaffing. If you hire more people than you need, your costs increase. On the other hand, understaffing makes your employees overburdened.
#2 Start researching about temp agencies
Now that you have figured out your staffing needs, it’s time to look for the suitable agencies in your area. Of course, you will find quite a few names, but don’t go ahead with the first company you find along the way.
Do your own background research about the temp agencies you are considering. Also, ask them to show you the names of the companies they have worked with in all their years of operation. In fact, it is a good idea to contact two or three of those companies to get a fair idea about what to expect from the agency.
Also, make sure to set a budget for the agency beforehand. This will help you in comparing the quotes from two or three agencies before choosing one.
#3 Look for specialized agencies for specific job roles
Many temp agencies are focused on certain positions and industries. It is a good idea to connect with such specialized agencies because they have a richer and more qualified database.
Besides, they will have a better understanding of your business needs because they have dealt with similar clients before. For instance, if you are looking for warehouse employees, it is better to go for a temp warehouse staffing agency, rather than a general one.
#4 Discuss your hiring needs with the temp agency
At this stage, you have found a temp agency that meets your budget and suits the kind of roles you are hiring for. It’s time to have a detailed discussion with the temp agency about the kind of candidates you want and for which job positions.
Make sure to leave out no detail when discussing your requirements. Let them know about the day-to-day responsibilities, company culture, any special skills required, perks and benefits, and so on. The more detailed your brief is, the easier it gets for the agency to find a suitable candidate.
In fact, considering the huge database some of the top agencies have, they might even shortlist a few candidates within a few hours.
#5 Go over the applications sent to you
The agency will send you enough applicants to fill the desired job positions, though they might not send them all to you at once. Typically, the temp agencies send applications in batches for you to review and schedule the interview.
If you do not like any of the applicants sent to you in the first batch, be direct and inform the agency about it. You do not even need to schedule interviews for the applicants you don’t find suitable. However, make sure to let the agency know the reasons why you found them unsuitable for the position. Your feedback will help the agency better understand the criteria you are looking for.
#6 Schedule the interviews and choose a candidate
After you find a bunch of applications that are more suited to what you are looking for, schedule the interviews. When you are done with your first round of interviews, it’s time to send another feedback to the agency.
Let them know if you have found a few stellar candidates for the next round of interviews. Also, in case none of the candidates could crack the first round of interview, inform the agency and they will send you other applicants.
Now that you know how to hire employees through temp agencies, start your search for the right company. Time to speed up your hiring process even more!
