Anyone have any luck with Staffing firms

[Cdubyah]

Such as Robert Half, or Kforce?

Don't really know to much about them, other than it's mostly contract work. But they do have some direct hire opportunities.

I also know that they take a portion of your pay, since they found you a job. Anyone know how much that is?

Thanks!

[CattaniAFJ]

Robert Half is pretty good, IMO. My GF use to be a staffing recruiter for them. It really depends what you're looking to do. Also, they don't take YOUR pay, they charge the client (your new boss) a percentage of your hourly/salary rate. For example, let's say you're making $15/hr. That $15/hr is all yours. The staffing agency will charge the employer on top of that for your/their services, normally ranging from 22-35% depending on their contract with the client. This means that for every hour you work, you get $15 and the staffing agency gets $3.33-$5.25, and the client is paying out $18.33-$20.25 for each hour. There is also a period of time, usually set forth in the contract, that you have to work for the agency before you are available for the client to hire on full time on their payroll. Don't expect much of a raise if you get hired all the way on, as they will have to pay the payroll tax as well as your benefits package. It is normally more beneficial for the client (your boss) to pay the staffing agency the extra money than carry you on payroll.

Hope that makes sense and helps. If you need more info, let me know.

[CattaniAFJ]

No one else has any comments at all?

[flounder]

Where do you live and what are you looking to do.

[Cdubyah]

I would like to move to Columbus

Looking for IT work. Network, Systems, Desktop Admin.

[Cheech]

I would like to move to Columbus

Looking for IT work. Network, Systems, Desktop Admin.

I would highly recommend hitting up a firm in Columbus called ICC. They are one of the larger consulting firms in the city, and run a very tight ship. You'll probably be interested in the ESG, or Enterprise Services Group. I'm not sure what your experience level is, but they will sort you out quite well.

[cattmouch33]

So far I've had no luck with staffing firms. The jobs the did find was not in my field and they called me back 3 times in a year. Thanks for the help.

[that dude]

They are a joke.

[palandor]

Robert Half is pretty good, IMO. My GF use to be a staffing recruiter for them. It really depends what you're looking to do. Also, they don't take YOUR pay, they charge the client (your new boss) a percentage of your hourly/salary rate. For example, let's say you're making $15/hr. That $15/hr is all yours. The staffing agency will charge the employer on top of that for your/their services, normally ranging from 22-35% depending on their contract with the client. This means that for every hour you work, you get $15 and the staffing agency gets $3.33-$5.25, and the client is paying out $18.33-$20.25 for each hour. There is also a period of time, usually set forth in the contract, that you have to work for the agency before you are available for the client to hire on full time on their payroll. Don't expect much of a raise if you get hired all the way on, as they will have to pay the payroll tax as well as your benefits package. It is normally more beneficial for the client (your boss) to pay the staffing agency the extra money than carry you on payroll.

Hope that makes sense and helps. If you need more info, let me know.

What he said.

I've used recruiting firms to get jobs for several years. I had several contract-to-hire jobs that worked out well. (the following is just my opinion): Robert Half Technology is good if you get a good office/recruiter; if not, they are just ok. Kforce sucks. Put your resume up on job sites and you will have recruiters calling you for various things. Even if the job doesn't fit you, reply back and ask to get on their roster/hiring pool. They can let you know what is open. Get your resume on LinkedIn.com and if you are looking, put something like "Seeking new Opportunity" as recruiters also use that website to network with people.

-b

[CattaniAFJ]

^^^Good post.

What is funny, is that I have gotten 3 jobs from temp agencies. I worked for Ohio Casualty Insurance, Sun Microsystems, and I got my job at DHL that way too. They can't hurt to throw your name in the hat, you never know what might happen. I've ended up w/ a career that I love out of it.

[Pedro]

I've worked for a couple staffing firms in the past. The most recent was back in 2005 for Robert Half Technology. Robert Half worked out well for me. They got me hired on at my current IT job. I worked for Robert Half as a contractor for six months and then got hired on at my current job.

[Cdubyah]

Well lets hope they can work a little magic for me.

At this point I do not care...

[Strictly Street]

I have had pretty good luck with them. Once you know the song and dance it's pretty easy to sort out who is worth it and who is not. For IT stuff, Pomeroy, TEK and Unicon seem to be the bigger ones in C-bus. Never had much luck with Robt Half but they are a player for sure.

Good luck in the hunt!

[JCMathis]

I will give you my opinion from the other side of the fence. I am the Director of a Software Customer Support Department and I have not had very good luck with staffing agencies. Robert Half is actually the worst one for me. It is probably good for the person looking for the job but as much as the Salesrep called and hounded me I did not care if he found the best person in the world, I was not going to work with him. I do not hire for contract work and for the Support positions I hire for, they are usually entry level so that may be the issue. I have had much better luck with word of mouth. Most of my employees have come from other employees recommending them.

Good luck on your search!

[vw151]

If you are working in IT I find them pretty useful.

I have worked for Tek Systems (they were pretty good), and interviewed with Robert Half, and also had a job where I was contracted to ATT then contracted to OSUMC.

Either way, I find them to be a great resource as lots of big enterprises don't direct hire often unless they know you. So these firms are a good way to get your foot in the door.

How it works. Easy, they hire you, you are their employee and you are a contractor at the place where you work. You get paid by the temp agency and yes they take some sort of cut but that is transparent to you. Usually it will be hourly with no benefits but they generally offer W2 employment as well but at a lower hourly or salary rate. Most of the stuff I have seen are 3 6 or 12 month contracts but tend to promise that they will be renewed. In my situations I was hired on full time with the actual employer after 6 months. I'm a CCNA network tech if that makes any difference.

On the flip side, the company that you are actually working for gets a few benefits. Although they are paying a premium (your salary, plus commission) they don't have to pay benefits and if you don't work out they just don't renew your contract. It's great for augmenting employment for a big project where you might not be able to keep people long term or great for a try before you buy type scenario as well. But again, I have found the best thing for you is that it gives you a way to get your foot in the door and make contacts. Even if you don't keep the job you now know these people and they know you and what kind of worker you are. This is good for you, unless you are a shitty worker.

at OSUMC we have used a few staffing firms, quick solutions, tek systems, insight, and I know people that work at Sarcom. We also have several cabling contractors, Tri-M and a few others I can't think of any others off the top of my head. There is this one in dublin that one of our contractors works for and I have interviewed with and I just can't think of it at the moment. starts with an A I think. There are a ton of small one's out there anyway.

The thing I always enjoyed about the staffing firm is that it's a symbiotic relationship. You want a job and they want you to have a job and if they find you an interview and you get the job then both you and the temp agency wins. So they talk you up, find contacts and find interviews for you. So from a looking for employment standpoint they have treated me well and that is my 2 cents. Ask CMH_sprint. He used to be one of my contractor bosses when I was contracted to a contractor to an employee. It was fun, he'd take me out to lunch once a month and ask me how things are going.

Edited July 16, 2010 by vw151

[Fonzie]

So far I've had no luck with staffing firms. The jobs the did find was not in my field and they called me back 3 times in a year. Thanks for the help.

They are a joke.

Maybe it's different in the IT arena, & down there... But up here most of the temp agencies (ManPower, Time, Kelly) seem to focus primarily on the Japanese industrial stuff for $8-10/hr, have an ungodly application process, never seem to know what to do with me since I'm more on the white collar side, & I NEVER hear back from them. I can't tell you how much time I've wasted in years past, filling out their stupid applications, when I already have a resume' prepared.... And it never leads to anything

[DGTL GRL]

CAREWORKS TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE WIN!!!

located in Dublin.

I used them November until .. well Monday.. when I'm hired on fulltime at Nationwide.

They are awesome!!!

If you want a name, number, and maybe some referral money to split, lemme' know.

ps- I'm a Internet Systems Analyst--- so IT.. yup.

[DGTL GRL]

There is one I'll private message you to stay clear of. I don't want them hunting me down and saying I'm slandering them for some gd reason. So I'll PM ya.

[n0rbertt]

I actually have a meeting / interview with someone from there tomorrow. Hoping that it goes well and they can find me some work.

[RC51 John]

There is one I'll private message you to stay clear of. I don't want them hunting me down and saying I'm slandering them for some gd reason. So I'll PM ya.

PM me that name too. lol

[dorifto240]

I went through one a few years ago... I didn't hear from them until a year later. And it was something I had definitely told them I didn't want to do.

Maybe other ones are better than that, but a 12 month follow up doesn't seem very professional to me

[Pedro]

I went through one a few years ago... I didn't hear from them until a year later. And it was something I had definitely told them I didn't want to do.

Maybe other ones are better than that, but a 12 month follow up doesn't seem very professional to me

LMAO. Sounds a little like one I used. I worked for this particular staffing agency for six months, got hired on the company I was contracted out to, and a year later they called asking me was I ready for a change.

[Jayracer38]

I have gotten jobs at Chase and Nationwide through contract companies. It is like anything though timing etc. I heard there are quite a few jobs if you are a programmer around Columbus and willing to do contract work. I would hit them all up...numbers game.

[DGTL GRL]

A good friend of mine is a technical recruiter. Message me your email address if you want him to contact you. Good guy! He got me into my last place which transitioned in a permanent hire at NW.

[Cdubyah]

Yeah this option doesn't seem to be working well for me.

I haven't got a single call from any of them.