(Originally posted July 2016, Updated March 2020).

A majority of organizations that participated in a 2019 Gartner survey shared that a shortage of talent was a rising concern for them when hiring.

The challenge of not being able to find the right talent is one many may face when trying to undertake a candidate search alone. As a solution, organizations often partner with a staffing agency to aid in their search.

All in all, enlisting the help of staffing agencies and search firms can deliver a much-needed boost to your hiring tactics.

Before starting any recruitment search, understanding the pros and cons of recruitment is important.

To aid you in your decision, we’ve compiled some of the top pros and cons of using a staffing agency below for you to consider.

Growing Your Business: Pros And Cons of Using a Staffing Agency

Pro: Staffing agencies provide benefits like extended candidate networks.

The first item on our list of pros and cons of using a staffing agency involves the various benefits it can provide to your search process.

Experienced staffing agencies can provide a vetted source for new hires thanks to a proven track record of staffing success.

Hiring managers get 100s of resumes on their desk every week. But, when the recruiter they know and trust calls with a candidate, they pick up.

Why? Recruiters are dialed into the specific roles these hiring managers are looking to fill, so they have intimate knowledge of what’s available in the candidate pool right now.

Your hiring manager can save time and resources by going through this concise list of candidates rather than sorting through potentially unrelated resumes on their own.

Pro: Using a search firm is often a low cost for you as an employer.

Workers provided by staffing agencies can often be placed as temporary hires at your company.

Thus, you can benefit from a search that provides you a timely temporary hire while still looking for a long-term candidate.

Let’s say you’re looking for a project leader but don’t want to make a permanent hire. A temporary hire would make sense in this situation.

Nevertheless, finding and assessing the talent of this temporary hire is just as time-consuming as any other search.

Thanks to the aid of a staffing agency, you can speed up the process of finding a qualified temporary hire and end up saving money in the long-run.

Con: You may not be involved in as much of the process

Luckily, this con might be a pro for you! If you partner with a trusted staffing firm, not having to be part of the search process can be a big relief.

Another factor to consider is the type of role you are looking to fill.

Depending on how crucial finding a candidate for this role is, some clients may prefer more involvement in the search process than others.

While a search agency may involve a client when learning more about their company or expectations, the client may not be involved in the actual search.

So, when looking to partner with a search firm, make sure to check what kind of process is provided.

Con: Training is time-consuming.

A new employee might join your workplace in a short time thanks to a staffing agency.

However, he or she may start without an understanding of the safety regulations or general rules that each employee must follow.

Cutting corners during the training process could end in workplace accidents and tasks not performed well.

However, a full training session takes time away from a temporary worker to fill the vacant role.

Training is needed for any new hire, regardless of whether he or she was discovered through a staffing agency.

Prioritize Your Company’s Success When Recruiting

When it comes to the pros and cons of staffing agencies and search firms, your company’s success is paramount.

Knowing when to get the assistance you need from a staffing service is important to keeping roles filled.

Thankfully, you can contact staffing agencies like Trupath with any questions you have regarding your search process.

By utilizing its team’s experience in the industry, TruPath provides clients with insights on how they can improve their search.

In the end, TruPath’s team is passionate about delivering a comprehensive staffing solution unique to each client’s needs.

Are you looking for support in finding the right candidates for your company?

Contact TruPath today to receive the consultation and assistance you need to find top talent.