What to know before working with a staffing firm

Trying something new is always nerve wracking. Working with a staffing firm for the first time is no different. I mean the concept of a staffing firm can be confusing. Not to mention all of the staffing-specific lingo. But have no fear. I’m going to take you through the basics of working with a staffing firm.

Let’s start with what a staffing firm does

Staffing firms have two arms: the consultant side and the client side. We work with companies, many Fortune 500, to help them find the best talent for their roles. Inversely our recruiters work with consultants to find the best role for them. At the end of the day, a good staffing firm wants to ensure that the best consultant is found for the best role.

So, who do you actually work for?

Once a recruiter helps a consultant find their next role, who do they work for? The staffing firm or the company? That is dependent on the role, the client and the staffing firm. Most of our contract consultants are actually employees of Synergis while they are on a project. For those who are employees of Synergis, that means we pay your wages, and we would be the one’s offering employee benefits. Really, anything a “traditional” employer would do.

Words to know before working with a staffing company

  1. Consultant/Contractor: Both are interchangeable but different staffing firms might favor one over the other. Consultants and contractors are you, the people we help find jobs. At Synergis, we use consultant.
  2. Skillset aligned recruiters: A specialized recruiter who focuses on a specific skill. At Synergis, this is how we operate. Our recruiters are all experts in their skillsets to better help our consultants find the perfect role for them. Some of our main skillsets include UX, Project Management, Software Development, Marketing, Infrastructure & Security, UI and so much more (all in the IT and Creative space).
  3. Employee Support: After a consultant gets placed at Synergis, they are paired with an employee who will help with their transition into the new role, any issues that might arise, really anything that you might need.
  4. Contract role: These roles will have a start and end date and are traditionally more project based. They offer flexibility and can give you variety.
  5. Contract-to-hire role: Think about a contract-to-hire opportunity as a try before you buy for both parties. It starts as a short-term opportunity and has the potential to turn into a full-time role if it’s right for both the consultant and the company.
  6. Direct hire: This is your traditional, permanent position. The only difference is that the organization is utilizing a staffing company to fill the role, but ultimately, the chosen candidate will become an employee of the organization hiring them.
  7. Technical assessment: These are a combination of application-based techniques and knowledge-based questions used to measure an employee’s understanding of concepts, tools and frameworks on a required technical skill or technology. Technical assessments are used to screen candidates and see if they’re right for the job.
  8. Placement: Placing the right consultant in the right role.
  9. Contract extension: This is a change to a contract, which can include either an increase in funds, increase in the scope of work and or an extension in time and must meet specified criteria.

How to go about working with a recruiter

It’s simple really. You can just reach out to the staffing company you want to work with through their website or you can reach out to a recruiter directly. At the end of the day, a good staffing firm and a great recruiter want to help you get placed in a job you will love. Check out our blog post about debunking the myths about working with a recruiter for more about the process.

What makes Synergis different?

I’m glad you asked. Our recruiters are broken up into IT and Creative recruiters and then from there each recruiter has their own skillset or couple of skillsets that they’re the expert for. So, you’re not just going to work with a recruiter who knows nothing about the role you’re looking for. They’re going to want to talk shop with you and want to learn more about you and build a relationship with you.

But don’t just take my word for it. Synergis was awarded ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing for Talent in 2021 for providing superior service to our candidates for the seventh year in a row. We work to serve our consultants day in and day out to find the best opportunity for them.

Still have questions? Don’t be shy. Reach out to us and we can talk all things staffing and recruiting.

 

About the author

Chad Steward earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in HR Management from Georgia Southern University. He began his career in technology staffing more than 20 years ago. Beginning as a Recruiter in the late ’90s, Chad worked his way into business-to-business sales as an Account Manager supporting large enterprise customers. He moved into management as the Director of Recruiting for all domestic and international Recruiting teams and then served as the Vice President of Operations and HR. Chad joined Synergis in 2017 as the Recruiting Director where he oversaw all IT and Creative Recruiting. He was promoted to Vice President of Operations in 2019, overseeing the Consultant Advocate program, technology, contracts and legal and facility management of all Synergis offices. In his spare time, Chad enjoys spending time with his wife, nieces and nephews and volunteering at church.

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