20 Steps To Find Staff With An Employment Agency

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To finding staff for positions within your company can be a complex task. Did you know that working with a staffing agency could simplify this process considerably?

By acting as an intermediary between companies and candidates, staffing agencies can help you find employees who match your needs, values and corporate objectives.

To maximize the benefits of this collaboration, you need to prepare thoroughly and manage it actively. Below you’ll find a step-by-step guide to help you find the ideal employees for your company using an employment agency. Then we’ll look at a few mistakes to avoid!

20 Étapes pour Améliorer vos chances de trouver des Employés avec une Agence

Here are a few key steps you can take to prepare yourself to find employees using an employment agency.

1. Identify staffing needs: Make a detailed assessment of your company’s current and future needs.
   • Identify vacancies and the skills required for these positions.
   • Determine the type of contracts you offer: permanent, temporary or contractual.
   • Consider the future development of your company and forecast the positions you’ll need to fill in the medium and long term. The agency can even help you assess these needs on the international market with international placement!
2. Define the budget: It’s crucial to have a clear idea of your financial resources before you start the process.
   • Establish how much you’re willing to pay for the agency’s services.
   • Determine the salary and benefits you’re willing to offer to find choice employees.
   • Don’t forget to take into account indirect costs such as integration, training and skills development.
3. Choosing the right agency: An agency that matches your needs and your industry can make a big difference.
   • Look for agencies specializing in your industry or the type of position you’re looking to fill.
   • Examine their reputation, success rates and fees.
   • Consider the size of the agency, its working methods and the quality of its customer service.
4. Meet the agency: Establishing a direct link with the agency can facilitate communication and understanding.
   • Set up a meeting to discuss your needs, the type of candidates you’re looking for and the timetable for the recruitment process.
   • Don’t hesitate to ask questions about their process, the way they communicate and their understanding of your industry.
   • Make sure you’re comfortable with the agency and can work effectively with them.
5. Provide detailed information: The more information you provide to the agency, the more it will be able to help you find suitable employees.
   • Provide a detailed job description, including responsibilities, skills required, level of experience desired, etc.
   • Share information about the company’s culture, existing team and management style.
   • Inform the agency of any specific or unique criteria you may have for the position.
6. Create a clear and attractive job description: The quality of your job description can greatly affect the quality of the candidates you attract.
   • Be clear and precise about the tasks, responsibilities and skills required.
   • Highlight the benefits and opportunities offered by the position.
   • Make sure the position is attractive and stands out from other job offers.
7. Review candidates: Once the agency has provided you with a list of potential candidates, take the time to review them carefully.
   • Study each CV carefully.
   • Select the candidates you’d like to meet based on their skills, experience and cultural fit.
   • Prepare a list of questions or concerns you have for each candidate to discuss with the agency.
8. Interviews: Interviews are an essential part of the recruitment process.
   • Organize and conduct interviews with shortlisted candidates.
   • Prepare in advance the questions you want to ask to assess candidates’ skills and cultural fit.
   • Seek the agency’s assistance in coordinating the interviews, and consider its advice for an optimal approach during these interviews.
9. Give your feedback to the agency: Sharing your impressions with the agency after each interview can help refine the search.
   • Give detailed feedback on candidates, their strengths and weaknesses.
   • Discuss any necessary adjustments to the selection criteria.
   • Keep an open line of communication with the agency to ensure an efficient recruitment process.
10. Making an offer: Once you’ve found employees who match your needs, it’s time to make an offer.
    • Prepare an attractive offer that includes salary, benefits and working conditions.
    • Work with the agency to formulate and present the offer in the best possible way.
    • Negotiate the conditions if necessary, with the help of the agency.
11. Close the recruitment process: Once the candidate has accepted the offer, the process is not yet complete.
    • Finalize details such as start date, documentation formalities and orientation.
    • Work with the agency to ensure a smooth transition for the candidate, including signing contracts and organizing orientation.
12. Follow-up: Even after the candidate has been hired, good communication with the agency is essential.
    • Share feedback on the new employee’s performance.
    • Inform the agency of any problems that arise during the new employee’s probationary period.
    • Discuss future recruitment plans with the agency.
13. Make sure the agency understands your corporate culture:
    • Work with the agency to define the type of personality and attitude that best fits your existing team.
    • Ask the agency to take cultural compatibility into account when shortlisting candidates.
14. Plan an employee retention strategy: Hiring a new employee is the beginning of a long-term relationship.
    • Set up ongoing training programs to help employees develop their skills and adapt to their new roles.
    • Offer career development opportunities to motivate and retain employees.
    • Make sure your benefits are competitive and attractive to current and future employees.
15. Evaluate staffing agency performance: A post-recruitment evaluation can help improve future processes.
    • Assess whether the agency has been professional, responsive and successful in finding quality employees.
    • Give detailed feedback to the agency on what went well and what could be improved.
    • Use this evaluation to decide whether you wish to continue working with this agency for future recruitment needs.
16. Establish open and regular communication: Clear and regular communication with your staffing agency is essential to ensure that it fully understands your needs, and to keep you informed of the progress of the recruitment process.
    • Schedule regular meetings to discuss progress.
    • Encourage the agency to ask questions to clarify any points that may be unclear.
    • Share feedback after each interview to help the agency refine its search.
17. Offer competitive benefits: To find dream employees, your offer needs to be competitive in the marketplace. This can include an attractive salary, benefits, training and development opportunities, a good work-life balance, etc.
    • Research what your competitors are offering to make sure your offer is competitive.
    • Make sure your offer is well presented and promoted by the agency.
18. Be flexible and open: Sometimes, the ideal candidate may not be exactly what you had in mind. Be open to a variety of profiles and ready to adjust your requirements if necessary.
    • Be open to candidates with different backgrounds and experience.
    • Consider soft skills as much as technical skills when evaluating candidates.
19. Use the agency for its market knowledge: Employment agencies have in-depth knowledge of the job market and can provide you with valuable information for your recruitment process.
    • Ask the agency for information on market trends, candidate expectations, competitive salaries, etc.
    • Use this information to fine-tune your recruitment strategy.
20. Invest in a good relationship with the agency: Establishing a relationship of trust and mutual respect with the agency can greatly improve your chances of success.
    • Treat the agency as a partner rather than a supplier.
    • Show appreciation for their work and be respectful of their time and expertise.

Preparing for these steps should help you have a better experience with an employment agency, and improve your chances of finding employees. It would also be useful to analyze possible errors that could affect the staffing agency’s process, and how to avoid them.

10 Common Employee Recruitment Mistakes and Solutions

Here’s a table of common mistakes made by companies working with employment agencies. We also offer a solution for every error to minimize your risk of not finding employees efficiently.

Mistakes made	Corresponding solutions
Not having a clear understanding of recruitment needs	Take the time to understand your recruitment needs. This includes the specific skills required, the number of positions to be filled, the type of contract (temporary or permanent), etc.
Failure to effectively communicate job expectations and requirements to the agency	Make sure you provide the agency with a clear, detailed job description. This will enable the agency to find potential employees who precisely match your needs.
Not involving key decision-makers in the recruitment process	Include all key decision-makers in the recruitment process. This can include department managers, human resources and senior executives.
Selecting an agency based on cost alone	While cost is an important factor, it’s essential to also consider other factors such as the agency’s reputation, its expertise in your sector, and its success rate.
Ignoring the importance of your corporate culture	Make sure the agency understands your corporate culture, so you can find potential employees who will fit in well.
Neglecting to give feedback to the agency after interviews	It’s essential to provide feedback to the agency after each interview, whether the candidate is successful or not. This will help the agency to refine its searches and improve its service.
No employee retention strategy	Hiring does not end once the candidate has accepted the offer. It’s essential to have an employee retention strategy in place, which can include benefits, career development opportunities and more.
Failing to provide sufficient resources for the integration of new employees	Make sure you have an effective integration plan for new employees. This can include appropriate training, mentoring, etc.
Not regularly evaluating agency performance	It’s important to check regularly whether the agency is meeting your recruitment needs. This can include reviewing the number of positions filled, the quality of applicants, the time it takes to fill a position, etc.
Ignore potential candidates for future positions	Even if a candidate is not selected for a specific position, he or she could be a good choice for a future position. Keep a register of potential candidates for future positions.

By taking care to avoid these mistakes, you’ll be able to work more effectively with an employment agency and increase your chances of finding employees who match your desired profiles.

Conclusion

Working with an employment agency offers a unique opportunity to benefit from professional expertise in finding the employees your company needs.

By following the steps detailed above and avoiding common mistakes, you can optimize your experience and increase your chances of finding ideal employees who match your company’s skills and culture.

It’s important to remember that the success of this process relies heavily on transparent communication of your needs and objectives, and active involvement at every stage. Patience and tenacity are also key, as finding employees can take time.

Are you ready to find staff with the help of an employment agency? Start your process now with First Round Agency, which offers employee recruitment and placement services in the Greater Montreal and Quebec City areas.

Good luck in your search for personnel!