Top Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Staffing Company

Choosing to hire a staffing agency isn’t a very hard choice, when it comes down to it. After all, a staffing firm can help make recruiting and hiring infinitely easier, saving you time and money in the long run.

But once you’ve decided that you want to work with a staffing company, how do you choose the right one?

As is the case with any interview, there are definitely some questions you’ll want to ask potential staffing agencies when you’re deciding who to work with. Here are some of the top ones.

What is your turnover rate?

One of the biggest reasons companies want to work with staffing agencies is that they want to minimize the risk of excessive turnover. While it’s impossible for staffing agencies to guarantee no turnovers resulting from their hires, getting an idea of their turnover rate could tell you how careful they are about their placements. Finding the right person for the right job will result in less turnover, so although this stat isn’t foolproof, it can be eye-opening. (You might also want to ask what their process is if they make a bad hire.)

Where do you find your candidates?

Different staffing agencies use different sources and databases to find job candidates. Learn what you can about that particular staffing agency’s methods, and why they choose to do things the way they do. You want an agency that searches multiple sources for both active and passive candidates, giving you the widest pool of potential hires.

How do you screen your candidates?

Screening processes are key when it comes to hiring. A good staffing agency should have a solid screening process they follow before they even present a candidate to you for consideration. Each agency’s process will look slightly different, but it should confirm eligibility and experience, along with ensuring that the candidate meets any specific criteria you set forth. 

Do you specialize in any industries?

Staffing agencies come in many shapes and sizes. Some even specialize in filling positions within specific industries. If you can find a staffing agency that specializes in the area you’re looking to hire in, you’ll increase your chances for a successful hire.

What is your hiring process for your recruiters?

An agency is only as good as its employees. You’re taking care to make the right hire, and your staffing company should do the same when they hire their recruiters. Talk to them about the credentials and training their employees have, to give you a feel for the company’s standards and level of expertise.

Do you do anything other than staffing?

Some staffing agencies don’t stop at helping you find the right hire. Some of them offer other services that could be beneficial to you, including project estimation and management, or providing onboarding resources. If you can find a staffing agency that provides an additional service you need (or didn’t know you needed), they’re potentially a great fit for you. 

Why should we work with you?

Ultimately, the agency should be able to tell you why your relationship would be beneficial, what they can do for your company specifically, and why you should hire them. Give them the chance to express what makes them different and how they can help your next hire be a success. Hopefully, this will give you a better feel for their company and help make your decision a little easier.

Finding a great staffing agency can help make your company’s hiring processes run more smoothly, but make sure you take the time to find the right agency for you. Once you do, you’ll be amazed at how much easier recruiting and hiring can be.