business insights: 9 questions to ask your staffing agency.

partnering with a staffing agency? ask them these 9 questions first.

Talented employees turn good businesses into great businesses. With that said, it takes time and effort to find qualified job seekers — and you only have a limited number of hours to spend on talent acquisition each day.

That's where recruitment agencies come in. As Benjamin Franklin aptly stated, “remember that time is money.” Investing your resources into an expert HR partner can save you on both.

HR partners help companies across the business spectrum hire temporary and permanent members of staff.

They act as a middleman in the hiring process and handle everything for you, from advertising jobs, through applicant matching, to the interview stage and getting new hires settled into your workplace.

If you're in the market for a stellar recruiting agency, read on.

In this guide, we'll reveal the nine probing questions you should ask any potential staffing partner before signing on the dotted line.

questions to ask your potential staffing agency

Some staffing agencies promise the world but don't deliver. For peace of mind, set up an in-person or online meeting with your prospective recruiter and ask the following questions:

1. how do you source and vet top talent?

Your recruitment agency will find applicants for open positions within your company, so it's good practice to ask how they plan to source and vet job seekers.

Ask the recruiter whether they have a screening process, and what that process involves.

• Do they have background checks in place?
• What kinds of interview questions do they ask?
• How will they verify applicants’ qualifications and skills?

2. what does a typical hiring timeline look like?

Every unfilled vacancy makes your business a little less effective. Ask your potential recruitment agency representative to go over a typical hiring timeline with you.

• How soon can you expect to have an applicant shortlist in your email inbox?
• When and where do initial interviews take place?
• How much of the recruitment process will your staffing partner handle, and how do they plan to keep you informed?

3. what guarantees do you offer when placing workers?

Reputable recruitment agencies shouldn't charge you if they can't find suitable candidates, or if they're unable to meet your needs.

Go for a recruiter with an iron-clad satisfaction guarantee. Some agencies offer guarantees to replace candidates who don’t work out within the first few months. That can go a long way to inspire confidence in your hiring choices.

You deserve to work with a confident HR partner who is certain they will help you find the best person for the job!

4. how do you support workers?

Stay far away from recruiters who refuse to support the staff they hire. The very best staffing agencies stay in regular touch with recruits to ensure that they settle into their new surroundings.

Your final HR partner should be willing to offer advice about employee retention strategy, too. In other words, they need to be in it for the long haul.

5. how do you ensure strong retention?

We mentioned employee retention briefly above; now let's take a closer look at this vital subject. Your employees are your company's most valuable assets.

First-rate staffing partners take time to match well-qualified applicants to their clients' open positions. In itself, that careful process improves employee retention.

Excellent recruitment agencies go one step further and work with clients to help them retain talent.

6. what is your follow-up and communication process?

This is a two-part question. In the first instance, you want to know when and how the staffing agency will communicate with you or your HR team during the recruitment process.

At what point does your team need to step into the hiring process? In the second, you need to know how quickly they plan to follow up with candidates. Will they check in regularly?

7. how do you approach diversity and inclusion?

To ensure you stay within the law at all times, choose a recruitment agency with a proven track record of candidate inclusion and a solid CSR (corporate social responsibility) policy.

Your staffing agency represents you, and it would reflect badly on your company if their approach to diversity and inclusion didn’t line up with yours.

Don’t shy away from asking tough questions like their strategy to hire across a variety of demographics and what metrics they use to track diversity.

8. how do you offer value to our internal HR team?

Most companies use recruitment agencies in addition to their own human resources departments.

• How will your potential HR partner offer value to your internal team?
• Will they communicate regularly with your staff, and will they share information?
• Can they contribute specialist skills that you don't already have in-house?

At Randstad Canada, we house an exceptional bank of specialized talent, ready to tackle your unique hiring needs. 

Looking for a full-time permanent position or temporary workers? Look no further - we've got you covered!

Whether you're after top-tier professionals or simply have questions about our services, reach out to us without hesitation!

Our dedicated team is here to offer tailored solutions that match your goals and requirements.

Our dedicated team provides tailored solutions that align with your goals. Streamline your hiring process and connect with the perfect qualified candidates for your requirements.

9. what makes you different from other HR partners?

Lastly, don’t be afraid to put your potential HR partner on the spot by asking them how they're different from other similar HR services.

What you're looking for here is a clear-cut list of premium traits — ways in which they stand out in the recruitment industry.

• Can they tell you why they deserve your business?
• Can they do so without criticizing their closest competitors?

why make randstad your staffing partner?

Here at Randstad, we believe in matching smart people with the right jobs, and we use innovation and technology to help us accomplish that goal.

Our team of over 900 recruiters in Canada connect with and find jobs for thousands of job seekers every week. Don't let our size fool you, though — we use a personalized approach with every one of our clients.

Our expert recruiters are specialists in your local market, so they know how and where to find top talent.

We have an extensive existing talent pool full of pre-vetted professionals, too — so you can rest assured that your new hire knows how to deliver.

The perks don't stop at acquisition. Randstad can also help you create a robust staff retention strategy, so that your team stays together for the long term.

Our exclusive combination of staffing benefits isn't available anywhere else. 

Considering a partnership with randstad? Download the Randstad Staffing Guide to find insights about what a collaboration with us would look like and how we can support your HR processes.

the recruitment wrap

Working with a recruiter should make your life easier. With the right staffing partner at your side, you'll experience less recruitment frustration and more success.