How to choose an engineering staffing agency that is right for your business

Selecting the right engineering staffing agency requires more work than just partnering with a regular staffing agency.

Suppose you need specialized professionals for a contract or permanent assignment. In that case, it is advisable to retain the services of a staffing agency that has a proven track record of delivering solutions to organizations like yours.  Based on the type of expertise required, you will need to select an agency specializing in your company’s engineering discipline.

Here are a few guidelines to help you to choose the best engineering staffing agency for your company’s requirements.

Where to begin

If you need to hire a contractor or full-time/perm employee, the process of initiating a complete job search can be stressful and time-consuming, not to mention expensive.  The entire process might not even guarantee that the candidates are the right fit for your organization.  As such, working with an engineering staffing agency will save you time and cost less in the long run.  Additionally, using an outside recruiter gives you access to a large pool of qualified candidates that you may not have been able to access before.

What to consider

Before choosing a firm that will assist in placing the engineers in your organization, it is critical for you to assess the agency’s background and experience to help you determine whether the agency can understand the needs of your company and the skillset that you require for the position.  A company that can access the right engineer for the position shows that they better understand what you expect.

Specialization

Most engineering positions demand specialized knowledge and expertise.  In this regard, you should only select an organization that specializes in hiring the right engineer for your requirements.  It is critical for the engineering staffing agency to understand what you require from the beginning clearly.  It is, therefore, your duty to offer a current and concise job description; this includes being specific about the specialization, education requirements, and experience you seek.

Research the agency’s track record

The company that you decide to hire should have a proven record of excellent and successful placements.  Before partnering with an agency, you should ask for a list of references, which will help you determine if they have a successful placement track record.  It is advisable to set time aside to meet and interview the engineering staffing agency either by phone or in-person and check the company’s prior placements to gain a perspective on their client relations.

Performance measures

You should strive to find an engineering staffing agency that follows up on their placements and one that stands behind their candidates.  For instance, if you decide that the candidate interviewed is not a good fit for some reason, there should be some protocols to help you fix the situation as quickly as possible.  For example, you should ask about their performance guarantees before signing any binding agreements.