Are employment agencies and staffing agencies the same thing? Once you have made the decision to work with an agency to find your next job, it can be difficult to figure out whether or not you need to seek help from either an employment agency or a staffing agency.

Employment Agencies

Employment agencies act on behalf of both job seekers and companies who have positions to fill. The employment agency will first partner with companies that are in need of new employees. Then the agency will seek out and match the right people to fill the position. However, as a job seeker, it can be very beneficial to you to reach out to an employment agency first.

The Disadvantage of Working with an Employment Agency

Lengthy Process– Compared to working with a staffing agency, the process of finding a job through an employment agency can take more time. Most of the positions that employment agencies fill are permanent or last for a longer period of time than positions that staffing agencies provide. For this reason, the matching process can take longer.

The Benefit of Working with an Employment Agency

New Opportunities– Working with an employment agency to find your next position can open the door to new roles. Many times both employment and staffing agencies are the first to hear about new opportunities and so, will provide you with more options.

Staffing Agencies

Like employment agencies, staffing agencies act as a liaison between companies that are in need of workers and qualified job seekers. The agency matches you with the best position to fit your skillset. However, the main difference is that a staffing agency will likely provide temporary positions, while employment agencies usually work to fill roles that are permanent.

The Disadvantage of Working with a Staffing Agency

Specificity– Most staffing agencies tend to specialize in the type of positions they offer to job seekers. For example, Staff Force is an agency that specializes in providing light industrial and manufacturing-focused staffing. So if you do decide to go with a staffing agency, make sure that the agency actively fills positions that align with your career field.

The Benefits of Working with a Staffing Agency

Ability to transition to a permanent Role– While employment agencies typically only offer opportunities that are already considered to be “long-term”, a lot of the positions that a staffing agency provides are usually for a shorter term. However, many of the roles, although at first labeled as short-term, have the ability to turn into a permanent position if the fit is right.

Availability– There is never a shortage of temporary positions available. At Staff Force, our clients are constantly providing us with new and exciting job opportunities for job seekers. If you are in need of a new job relatively quickly, using a staffing agency will be your best bet.

Staff Force is one of the leading light industrial staffing agencies in the nation. Contact us today to find out about the many career options that we offer!