5 Traits Clients Look for in a Firm
When looking to outsource IT staffing, it’s imperative to partner with a trusted source to ensure you truly are getting what you pay for. What questions should you ask your staffing suppliers to weed out those who aren’t so reputable? What qualities do the dependable options possess?
Here are some common client complaints of staffing firms:
- NOT Listening
Unfortunately, many staffing firms suffer from any number of listening maladies. The goal of the staffing firm is to place the most resources as possible while maximizing financial return. Because of the very nature of this business model, staffing firms often end up wasting mountains of their clients’ time by providing resumes of candidates who don’t fit the bill. Many staffing firms are afraid to qualify open requirements further with the client for fear of looking ignorant or of wasting their time. It’s critical to know as much as possible about the client’s needs, such as the technical profile, applicable industry experience, business skills, and corporate dynamics, as possible. The more questions asked, the greater the likelihood of getting the right candidate.
- Candidate Filtering
Another common complaint from clients is that staffing firms don’t take the adequate time to filter candidates. Akin to the point above, a staffing company’s filtering process is quite literally their lifeline. A good and reputable firm will not only screen resumes to ensure they have the appropriate skillset for the technical aspects of the job, but also ensure industry relevancy, business acumen, and presentation skills. Too many staffing firms throw piles of resumes at their clients when there isn’t a need, or they expect the client to do the filtering for them. The practice of quantity over quality is all too common amongst staffing firms, and getting what you actually want from them can be a challenge.
- Reference Checking
It may seem obvious, but checking references is one of the most valuable things a recruiting company can do to ensure trustworthy candidates are presented to a client. However, time and again, this last step in the process is skipped for a variety of reasons –time, laziness, or the unwavering belief in the candidate despite what past managers have to say. There is no substitute for in-depth background and reference checks for each and every candidate submitted to a client. This critical phase of the recruiting process can identify potential issues early on and quell problems down the road.
- Weak Network
A strong network is that which sets an excellent recruiter apart from the average. A reputable staffing firm will be well-known in the industry and possess a strong database of applicants as well as solid long-term relationships with those hard to find candidates. Most staffing firms can find candidates that possess the hot tech skillset of the moment, but it’s those who can find that ‘purple squirrel’ candidate are the ones worth partnering with. Additionally, stellar staffing companies will have a strong social media presence and possess the ability to source candidates through a multitude of avenues.
- Questionable Practices
Unfortunately with many IT staffing companies, ethics seem to take a back seat in their haste to fill requisitions. Misleading claims or over-exaggerations on resumes can drastically backfire and threaten to obliterate a relationship. A solid technical interviewing process and ensuring that your recruiter actually meets the candidate presented can provide a greater level of comfort. Regrettably, some staffing firms are out to make a quick buck by employing underhanded and often shady practices. The constant quantity over quality to see if it will stick philosophy is the downfall of many agencies.
At the rate the IT staffing industry is growing, it’s more important than ever to make sure that you align with a trustworthy and reputable staffing company. At Resource 1, we make every effort to ensure that each candidate is fully screened and qualified before he or she is presented to our clients. We pride ourselves on our inherent understanding of our clients’ unique needs, because it’s our customers’ reputation on the line with every candidate we present.