If you’re an employer or candidate considering working with an IT staffing agency, you might have questions. You understand that working with an IT staffing agency likely comes with benefits, but what are they, and how does it work? In this post, we’ll be covering the following key takeaways to answer questions you might have about working with a technology staffing agency.
What Is IT Staffing?
IT staffing is the placement of individuals in technology-focused positions. The key role of IT staffing firms is to help employers connect with the right candidate and vice versa.
IT staffing firms specialize in helping clients meet their technology-focused employment needs by identifying and placing qualified candidates in their open positions. They also support IT candidates in identifying new opportunities to advance their careers and land jobs that align with their interests and skill sets. These positions are often full-time, though they can also be part-time, contract, contract-to-hire, and temporary.
Why Do Companies Use IT Staffing Agencies?
IT staffing agencies bring several benefits to the companies they serve, including:
- IT specialization and expertise
- Cost reduction
- Risk reduction
- Flexibility
1. IT specialization and expertise
One of the key drivers of businesses working with staffing agencies is their expertise in all things IT staffing-related. IT recruiters know the ins and outs of the industry, including market trends, technology advancements, salary benchmarks, competitor trends, and what candidates are seeking in an employer. This expertise provides valuable insights to companies looking to place IT talent.
2. Time and cost savings
Working with a technology staffing firm saves employers time in recruiting efforts. IT staffing firms have a recruiting team, as we do at Daley And Associates, that works full-time and actively screens candidates for companies that need quality tech candidates through sourcing methods, including LinkedIn, referral networks, job advertisements, and networking. This is especially valuable for companies that don’t have the internal resources or have specialized, hard-to-fill positions that require additional investment in recruiting.
As a result, IT staffing agencies can be cost-efficient in terms of an internal employee’s time, as well as reducing time to fill open roles. IT staffing firms also help to reduce overhead costs associated with recruitment, such as advertisements, interviewing, and background checks.
3. Risk reduction
One significant benefit tied to both time and cost reduction is the reduction in risk that an IT staffing firm offers. Between the time spent in training a new hire, the cost associated with having an unfilled position, and the stress added to the current workload due to having to pick up the slack, turnover can cost employers thousands of dollars each year.
An IT staffing firm helps reduce the cost and risk associated with turnover by reducing the number of bad hires and offering placement guarantees. Due to the extensive time that goes into their recruiting efforts and their skill in how to best match employers with the right candidates, it reduces the chances of a bad hire or placement. Also, some IT staffing firms, like Daley And Associates, have placement and replacement guarantees if a placed hire doesn’t work out for qualifying reasons.
4. Flexibility
Another benefit of working with a technology staffing firm is the flexibility to support a wide range of employer needs around the types of positions they’re seeking to fill. Whether they need skilled temporary staff for a short-term project, an expert contractor for a longer-term position, or part-time and full-time permanent workers to fill their open IT jobs, an IT staffing firm offers the flexibility to make it happen.
Read More: Future Technology Hiring Trends to Watch
How Can a Technology Staffing Agency Help Job Candidates?
From the candidate’s perspective, tech staffing agencies offer:
1. A wide network of companies
Technology-focused candidates who work with reputable staffing agencies gain access to a wide range of companies that are placing IT candidates. The staffing agency recruiters have insight into which clients are hiring, what they’re seeking, and whether a candidate would be a good fit.
2. Industry insights
When candidates work with an IT staffing firm, they benefit from the recruiter’s expertise in the IT industry. They can find answers to questions such as:
- Who’s hiring?
- What are employers seeking in a candidate?
- What positions are in high demand or will likely be in demand soon?
3. Marketing and interview preparation
Some IT staffing firms provide additional services for candidates. They may help ensure the candidate has a solid resume before submitting it to an employer they’re working with. Daley And Associates offers extensive interview preparation. Also, for each interview round, the candidate and recruiter constantly communicate throughout the interview, helping candidates achieve their goals of landing the job and advancing their careers.
IT Hiring Tips to Help You Secure Your Next Job
Do Candidates Pay a Fee to Work With an IT staffing agency?
No, job seekers do not pay anything to work with a recruiting firm. The industry standard is for organizations to pay a fee when a candidate is placed with them. Sometimes, it’s a flat fee or contingency, and other times, it might be based on a contract placement or something different.
What Benefits Can an Agency Provide Companies and Job Seekers?
Some key benefits that both a company and candidate achieve when working with an IT staffing firm are the industry insights and the connection of a good fit between the two. Additionally, during the hiring process, an IT staffing firm helps to bridge and keep the communication going between the candidate and the prospective employer.
Job Seekers
It’s in a candidate’s best interest to take the time to speak with an IT staffing firm to determine if there’s a good fit. Two vital characteristics that a job seeker should look for in a tech staffing agency are advocacy and clear communication.
- Will the firm pull and root for you?
As a job seeker, you want to work with a recruiter who will advocate for you throughout the interview process. - Does the recruiter provide clear and continuous communication?
Communication is necessary between the candidate and recruiter for an optimal outcome, so you want to work with a firm that clearly communicates with you in terms of the process, what’s going on with the client, and throughout the interview and recruiting stages. At the same time, candidates must communicate with the recruiter, being honest and upfront about their goals and what will and won’t work for them in a new position.
Companies
Here are some of the questions a company researching IT staffing agencies should consider:
- Is the firm’s specific type of expertise right for the company?
- What is the staffing firm’s placement retention rate?
- Does the firm effectively and continuously remain in communication with you?
Make an IT Staffing Agency Like Daley and Associates Your Winning Partner
Now, you know some of the many benefits of working with a technology staffing agency as an employer and as a job candidate. As a job candidate, the right IT staffing agency can help you land your dream job and advance your career. As an employer, you’ll have a partner to help you secure top tech talent for your open positions while saving money, stress, and time!
To learn more about working with Daley And Associates, contact us today!
