Why Work for a Staffing Firm?

There was a time when being a temporary employee meant you were "between" jobs - separated from your old full-time work and biding your time until you joined another company Not anymore These days, more and more independent, career-oriented people are joining staffing firms by choice rather than necessity Whether you're fresh out of high school or college, in mid-life or in semi-retirement, you can gain valuable experience and a preferred lifestyle working as a temporary employee Staffing firms connect people to jobs in all fields and at all levels - white collar and blue collar, labor and management, semi-skilled and highly skilled

There are three types of job placements you'll find with staffing firms

• - Temporary or contract, in which you fill a short-term assignment with one of the staffing firm's clients
• - Temp-to-perm or temp-to-hire, in which you join one of the staffing firm's clients on a trial basis, anticipating you'll shift to a permanent position with the client's company if you and the client think the job suits your skills and interests
• - Permanent hire, when the staffing firm recruits you and the client hires you without a trial period

The temporary employment industry is now deeply ingrained in our economy More than 90 percent of companies in the US use staffing firms and about 40 percent of employees looking for their first job or reentering the job market have done so by working with a staffing company, according to the American Staffing Association

A Smart Approach to Employment

Staffing firms make sense The fact is, simply finding a job these days is full-time work You can post your resume on a job board and hope that an ideal company will call you You can also apply - along with hundreds or thousands of other people - for jobs posted on the Internet You certainly should network for the possibility of gaining some inside information about job openings But from a job seeker's perspective, staffing firms are playing an increasingly larger role because they can save time and limit frustration Staffing firms already have lists of available jobs in your industry of choice Their recruiters are constantly networking with companies, talking to them about their needs And once you've met with those recruiters, they'll understand your skills and can guide you in your job search Essentially, they become part of your team

So how can working with a staffing firm help you? If you're just beginning your career or returning to the workforce consider these advantages:

• - Temporary or contract assignments provide a way for you to get into a company and show your talents When it comes time for that firm to hire a full-time employee, who'll be the obvious candidate? You!