Warning signs of a bad staffing agency

1

Your experience from the moment you hit the apply button to when you’re hired is vastly different from staffing firm to staffing firm. Which makes it even more difficult to know what you should expect when working for one.

APR has been connecting people with job opportunities for over 35 years. We’ve been around to see what works, what doesn’t, and most importantly, how to treat employees that work for your agency.

When you’re applying for jobs and your considering to work for a staffing firm or agency you’re not familiar with, here are a few warning signs that you might want to consider before working with them.

2

Their application process is difficult and confusing

You find a job you want to apply for. After multiple clicks and having a hard time navigating their website, you now have to spend 15 mins filling out miscellaneous information that’s already included on your resume.

This should be the first red flag and you shouldn’t waste your time. This type of staffing firm clearly doesn’t have the employee experience first in mind. If you’d like to see a great example of what an application process should look like – check out our jobs page.

3

Their lack of social media presence is disturbing

You start to research the company on social media. You search for them on Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram. You notice either A. it’s non-existent or B. their page isn’t engaging.

This should be your second warning sign. Social Media is a great way for agencies to stay connected with their employees. That’s why we are on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

4

The recruiter is unorganized, uninformative, and all around unprofessional

When you first talk to the recruiter, if they do any of the following, walk away:

  1. Pressure you into taking the position – They give you a deadline or say things “We need an answer in 24 hours”.
  2. Their cold, uninformative, and confusing –  They can’t answer simple questions and give you an idea of what the job entails.
  3. They over promise and under deliver – They say they will send you an email in the next hour and you don’t get it until 2 days later, or they say to expect a phone call from them in 24 hours and you never hear back.

If your recruiter treats you more like they are doing you a favor instead of a human being, this should be a big warning sign. Don’t waste your time working with a poor recruiter because they won’t stand in your corner when things get rough.

5

They forget about you once you’ve started working

An important question to ask the staffing firm or temp agency is what they do to stay connected with its workforce. Do they send out newsletters to keep in touch? Does someone check-in with you periodically to see how your assignment is going?

Last year at APR we launched our WeCare program.  With WeCare, we provide support from the very first phone call to your last day of work. We schedule periodic check-ins, support for any issue that may arise, employee recognition, and even an occasional giveaway. We also send out quarterly newsletters to keep our work force updated with any information that might apply to their job.

 

Keep these warning signs in mind when considering a staffing firm or temp agency to work for. If you’ve ever experienced something that isn’t on the list, let us know and comment below!

Tools for Success: Pinterest

pinterest

Have you ever considered using Pinterest for your job search? While Pinterest is great for home décor wishful thinking, arts and crafts you’ll never do, and a plethora of dinner ideas, it’s also great for job seekers. Try this week’s tool for success to help organize your job search efforts. Here’s how:

1. Create a board for resume templates and advice. Find hundreds of free resume templates and pin the ones that best fit you and your job. There are also plenty of pins featuring tips and tricks for your resume.

2. Create a board for interview outfit ideas and advice. If you’re not sure what’s appropriate to wear, Pinterest is the perfect place to get ideas. You can also find articles with advice on how to answer hard interview questions.

3. Create a board featuring your job expertise and skills. Especially if you do any design work, Pinterest is a great place to show it off.  If you are not in a design position, here are some other ideas of what to post. Did you set up or coordinate a volunteer event? Post pictures from that event. Did the company you work for win award because of something you did? Share their website (if they featured the award on their website) and talk about it!

Have you used Pinterest to help with your job search? How did you use it effectively?

The New APRConsulting.com is Here

At APR’s kick off meeting last year, the company introduced a few new initiatives that focused on APR’s new mission statement:

“To provide services and solutions to the highest degree of Accountability, Performance, and Results, delivering sustainable value, expedience, and effectiveness in meeting the needs of our clients, candidates, employees and stakeholders. “

Our website was first on the list of new things to come in 2014. Six months in the making and with help from Jason Lander and his team at Staffing Robot, we created a site designed to be minimalistic with a clean, uncluttered look.  It focuses more on the experience and helps users get the information they need quickly and easily.

Another initiative for 2014 is the new social media program for APR. We are now active on four social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google +. We are excited for the opportunity to connect with our customers, fans, and employees.

Tell us what you think of the new website by going to the “Connect With Us” page and leave us a message! Also, follow APR on any of our social media pages for career advice, APR news, job opportunities, and more. We would love to hear from you!