5月18日
A few posts ago I wrote about 5 things you can do when looking for a job in Hawaii. Out of those five, I’ve always been asked to expand more on how connecting with a local staffing firm can help in your job search.
First off, it’s important to understand how they work. A staffing firm serves employers who are looking to fills its ranks. These employers turn to staffing agencies because they either have difficulty in finding qualified workers or they don’t have the resources or means to handle all the back-end administrative work that comes with hiring employees.
For job seekers, a staffing firm is a resource that helps provide the tools they need to succeed in their job search. To be very clear, they are not a service that looks to find a job for every individual that walks through their doors. The role of an agency is to find the most qualified individual for a specific job opening or openings–this means that many job seekers may be not placed because their qualifications may not be the right fit for the job. For those who do not qualify, a staffing firm can still assist those job seekers by keeping their profile on record for the next job opportunity, resume building tips, interview coaching and other tools to enhance their candidacy for job placement. The pros of using a staffing firm by far outweigh the negatives. Here are 7 benefits of using a staffing agency when job hunting in Hawaii:
1. No cost to job seekers. Staffing firms are working at the request of an employer and are paid by those employers. Therefore, there are no costs to the job seeker, you are getting job placement assistance free of charge.
2. Knowledge of the local labor market. Because of the nature of their business and background, staffing agencies have excellent knowledge of the local labor market since they work with many companies in a variety of different industries. The longer the staffing agency has been around, the more experience they’ll have in this area.
3. Large network. Since staffing firms work with many local companies and in many industries, they can quickly get you in contact with interesting clients and projects based on your background and interests.
4. Hidden job market. Many staffing firms in Hawaii have access to jobs that are not advertised anywhere else. In other words, if you didn’t go through the staffing agency you would never hear about the job opening(s).
5. The best pay possible. One thing many jobseekers don’t think about is that a staffing company can help negotiate your salary with employers. As professionals in the industry, staffing recruiters know what is fair and can help advocate on your behalf.
6. Temporary work. There are times one may be looking for temporary work such as during summer vacation on break from college, or before moving out-of-state. Staffing firms work with clients who are in need of such temporary jobs that you wouldn’t otherwise find elsewhere or advertised.
7. Following up. Staffing firms will follow up your application with an employer so you don’t have to.
This story is also posted on HuffPost Biz.
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