Staffing Agency

A staffing agency (also called a temp agency, employment agency, or recruitment agency) acts as an intermediary between job seekers and employers. Employers pay the agency a fee to find and vet candidates; candidates typically pay nothing. **Types of placements:** - **Temporary / temp**: Short-term assignments (days to months), often filling in for absences or seasonal peaks. Candidates are typically paid hourly, employed by the agency. - **Temp-to-perm**: Starts as a temporary assignment with the intent to convert to permanent employment if the match works. - **Direct placement**: The agency recruits for permanent roles, acting as an outsourced HR function for the employer. - **Contract**: Project-based work for a defined period. Common in IT, engineering, and finance. **How agencies earn money:** For temporary placements, they charge the employer a markup on the hourly rate (usually 30-60%). For direct placements, they charge a percentage of first-year salary (typically 15-30%). **When to use a staffing agency:** - You're early in your career and need to build experience quickly - You're re-entering the workforce and want to test roles before committing - You're in a high-demand temp field (accounting, IT support, healthcare) - You want to explore a new industry without a permanent commitment **Caution:** Agencies represent client companies, not candidates. Their incentive is to fill a role quickly — which may or may not mean finding the best long-term fit for you.