3 Myths about Using a Staffing Company

I have read articles discussing the use of a staffing company, and in general people tend to have a slightly negative attitude towards using them. Unemployed people want a job, but registering with a staffing company is not usually on their radar of things to do.

Using a staffing company is a way to have an opportunity with a company that could indeed be a temporary position, but could also lead to a full-time position. A temporary assignment could simply be for a specific assignment, and could last from one day to almost any length of time. One article reports:

According to the American Staffing Association’s website, more than 90% of companies in the US use staffing firms, and 40% of employees looking for their first job or who are reentering the job market have done so by working with a staffing company.

Because there are so many differing views people have about staffing companies, I thought it might be good to relay some of the common myths about them, so that you may see whether using one is for you.

Myth #1 - Staffing company positions are only temporary, short-term, and not the type of “real” job I desire.

Truth: While many of the positions through a staffing company may be for a client’s immediate but short-term temporary position, they can lead to full time positions for the right candidate. Look at it as a foot in the door to the company you get in with. If you are working for them even temporarily, and a full time position comes open, they are much more likely to hire someone from within the company than to look outside. Even if your task has been completed, and a position is open a little later, your experience and time with the company makes you a much more likely candidate for the position. Even if it does not lead to a full time position, it offers you employment for a time, as well as experience and skills to add to your resume.

While it is true that some staffing position could last as short as one day, it is also true that the jobs could last for many months, so there is not set-in-stone standard for how long the jobs last. Even if you work many various shorter term positions for the staffing company, it is a great way to get exposure to companies you may not have considered or have been accepted into on your own. For the fresh out of school person, this can be very beneficial in the job search in that it allows you to get more experience with different companies and assists you in determining the type of position you actually desire.

Myth #2 – Staffing positions are low paying entry level positions.

Truth: This is not the case at all. The jobs offered tend to most often be based on your level of experience and skills. Positions available range from entry-level to anything even as high as a six figure salary; in reality, if you have the skills, you can qualify to fill a higher paying position. It is true that in the past, about twenty years ago, staffing companies did deal more with entry-level and administrative type positions, but that has not been the case for quite some time.

Myth #3 – Staffing jobs do not offer any benefits.

Truth: This is not always the case. It does vary between the different staffing companies, but many positions offer you the same benefits a full time company employee would receive, depending on the length of the task and other factors.

So, in general, there are many myths floating around out there, some passed along from days long past, others just a general misconception. Explore the idea of using a staffing company, it could be a bigger help than you had imagined.