A Snapshot of Employment Agencies - What They Actually Do

Brief history of employment agencies in the United States

Employment agencies are also known as personnel placement firms, personal consulting firms, and personnel service firms. Their major function is to place people into short or long-term positions. The National Association of Personal Consulting had aptly defined employment agencies as those firms "offering an orientation of finding jobs for people, building a back log of screened candidates by consistent advertising and by referrals from satisfied candidates and employers".

Recruitment agencies in United States came into existence quite a long back with the first known private staffing agencies being called the "Intelligence Offices" that began early in the 19th century. The earliest known bona fide employment agency was established in the name of "Employers and Servants Protestants Agency" in 1819. The first large-scale employment agencies appeared in 1863 in the name of "American Emigrant Company" that was created to secure laborers and skilled workers for a number of American employers. These agencies collected fees from employers and registration fees were extracted from European job seekers. At that time, almost anyone could be an employment agent - the intermediary or the middleman as the only source of information between employers and the prospective workers.

Growth of employment agencies

The rapid growth in employment agency industry occurred within the last quarter of the twentieth century in response to the fluctuating economy and with the double-digit increase in revenues throughout the 1970's and 1980's led to executive recruiting a booming business. An increasing number of mangers in publishing industry at that time were using the services of professional search firms. The advent of internet technologies during the late 80s' and early 90s' led to many staffing agencies using internet in their recruitment process. The National Personal Associates, Inc. founded in 1956 was the first employment agency to provide leading edge support to executive level contingency placement firms by maintaining a website for the public and its members.

The current conditions

In 2003, staffing companies with the largest U.S. presence was Adecco SA, Manpower Inc., Kelly Services and Gevity HR. Currently Adecco SA (Swiss based) is ranked as the world's largest staffing firm with a turnover of $29.38 billion in revenue for 2008. It is estimated that about three million workers in the United States are using employment agencies to find temporary work. The role of employment agencies cannot be discounted in providing variety of staffing services in the form of temporary staffing, contract to hire staffing services, professional staffing services, health care staffing etc. The global recession has affected the staffing industry as well with nearly about 30% of the staffing agencies severely affected by the recessive economy.

The only segment of the staffing industry that remained robust amidst the recessionary trends was the health care staffing that continued to grow at the rate of 15% to 20% annually because of an ongoing demand for registered and licensed practical nurses. Among those, who first tend to withstand the worst of economic recession are those employed in the staffing industry but they are also often the first ones to benefit from the fruits of a resurgent economy. Therefore, it can be observed that employment agency industry is expected to remain flat as long as the economy is sluggish, but any upturn in this industry is an indication of renewed health in the overall economy.

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What Good Can You Get From Employment Agencies

There are many advantages that can be obtained from employment agencies. In fact, both employers and jobseekers can gain from using employment or recruitment agencies that in today's market competition, these advantages must be optimized accordingly.

At first thought, many of us would think that employment agencies work for the jobseekers, yet in truth, their main client are the employers as the employers are the parties which pay the agencies for services rendered. When employers hire employment agencies to look for worthy candidates to fill the positions they offer, all the legworks are done by the agency. The company or employer need not sort through a lot of resumes. This task can take time considering each resume has to be reviewed to separate the qualified from those who are not qualified. Interview would already be started immediately. Employment agencies usually have a database of resumes that when job positions are offered by the employers, the agencies may already have some candidates on hand and ready for the interview. Depending on the needs and preferences of the companies, the services rendered by the agencies may be adjusted. For example, a company only needs and wishes to have resumes of qualified jobseekers so the company's staff can perform other recruitment tasks like interviews, screening, background checks and others. If the company wishes to rely everything to the agency, the latter can cater to the needs of the company. The candidate resumes will be processes, screening of candidates will be done, background, evaluation checks and initial interview will be performed before the lucky candidates are sent to the company manager for the final interview.

If the company or employer can gain from the employment agencies, so do the jobseekers. Just as what agencies offer to employers, the labor of finding open positions are performed by the agency to the jobseekers. Oftentimes, agencies have access to a number of open positions which may not be publicly advertised and thus cannot be found on your own. Therefore when you use employment agencies you have a better edge on being noticed by employers and you have a better chance on getting hired for the position. If you are looking for a new job while you are still employed, the agency can do the searching for you as you perform well on your present job. The agency will alert you when a suitable spot is available. It is the agency who sell and offer your proficiency to employers. If you want, the agency can also negotiate the topic about salary with the employers. This you are ensured they can do very well as a percentage of your supposed salary will be paid to them.

Both the employer and the jobseeker gain from using employment agencies. Through the agency, each party is informed that each of them is serious in winning or offering the position. If the employer or company is not serious in the position they offer and in finding a successful candidate to fill that position, it will not spend money on hiring employment agencies for the required services. The responsibility of the employment agency is to find candidates whose qualifications are suitable to the requirements of the job position.

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Good Habits To Know About Temporary Employment Agencies

Nowadays, it cannot be denied that temporary employment agencies are playing significant role in the corporate world. In particular, an employment agency provides suitable employees to a corporate-client looking for manpower. It is the duty of the agency to make certain that the workers provided are able and have the skills required.

Nearly all of the staffing agencies are inclined to center their attention to a limited number of service fields and expertise. Some agencies largely deal on legal service, technical works, health care, accounting practice, and secretarial jobs. Note however that the nature of the work is generally non-permanent. Once workers are engaged by the staffing agency, in time they will be sent to a specific client and perform the required job for a period of time only.

History tells us that it was in the year 1965 when Henry Robinson conceptualized and introduced the term employment agency. The British government did not seem to like his proposal. As a result, he founded his own employment agency in private character. His business venture, however, did not last long. Sometime in 1893, Fred Winslow founded also his private engineering agency.

In the United States and United Kingdom, they both implemented the term public recruitment in the early part of the 19th century. Soon after, many other developed States established publicly-managed staffing agencies. The main objective was to resolve the concern on joblessness. From then on, many people were able to enjoy wider options in terms of employment career. Some workers were successfully retained as permanent personnel, whereas others were absorbed by larger establishments.

In these days, employers are heavily tied with employment agencies. So as to save time and resources in selecting eligible workers, they just refer to a staffing agency to do the selection for them. In effect, the employment contract is consummated between the employer and the agency. The contract preparation engaging the service of the worker forms part of the responsibilities of the agency. That is the reason why the agency is the one knowledgeable on matters like employment status.

Employers find it advantageous dealing with temporary employment agencies. Essentially, employers are no longer responsible in preparing working visa, tax paper, and all other related documents. In some cases, they are not even bound to give benefits to the temporary employees.

On the part of the employees, they are challenged with the fact that they'll be working in various employers. To them, having newer room for self-improvement and newer prospect to apply their talents is something favorable. Even if the nature of employment is temporary, the constant change of work assignment is somewhat refreshing.

The practice in the agency runs in this way. The employment agency admits applicants. The credentials of the applicants are held on standby. Meanwhile, whatever are the standards desired by the employer for a given job, the same shall be made available by the agency. Then the initially selected applicant will undergo screening process. Once fit, the employer will do nothing but accept the worker provided.

Sometimes, the recruitment agency is the one looking for employers who are in need of workers. Once the agency gets a call from an employer, the latter will then evaluate the applications and credentials relevant to the available job. The chosen employee is given notice. To complete the selection process, the agency is likely to require the applicant to undergo additional exams.

Once deployed to the worksite, the employee is bound to follow the rules and regulations imposed by the employer. However, in the event that a discrepancy is noted between the earlier agreed work and the actual work, the employee has the discretion to discontinue the job. In an instance such as this, workers are not usually compensated in any form by the temporary employment agencies or by the employer.

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Private Employment Agencies Vs. Professional Employment Agencies

Private employment agencies have the largest share of the market and are now quite well known to most people from personal experience at local offices and advertisements in the press. Local employment agencies deal with jobs that are clerical, junior administrative, shop staff, IT professional etc. Another type of private agency concentrates on recruitment and, sometimes, the initial stages of selection of middle and senior managers or of professional and specialist staff in fields such as, law accountancy, engineering, etc. Private employment agencies provide at times a very valuable service, especially in recruiting staff in situations where there is a shortage of the particular types of employees required. However, since they exist to make a profit, employers have to pay for any employees they may recruit in this way.

There are also pros and cons that have to be carefully weighed, especially when these private employment agencies are used to assist in the selection of managerial or professional staff. The advantages are the specialist knowledge that an agency can acquire of the employment conditions and requirements in particular fields, objectivity of view and skill in conducting the selection procedure. The main possible disadvantage in using external assistance for recruitment and selection purposes is the agent's lack of first-hand experience of the cultural and environmental aspects of the organization's work and life.

There has been substantial growth of so-called 'head-hunters' or recruitment consultants. As the terms suggest, these are private firms and agencies of recruitment consultants who earn fees by meeting the job needs of organizations for specialist and senior managerial staff. Much of their work is carried on by means of an informal network of contacts, whereby they keep records of career profiles of people likely to be in constant demand, and obtain information about the needs of employers for appointments to be filled. This method has provided its value to the employer and employee clientele of these agencies.

Professional Employment Agencies

Several different kinds of agencies are included under the heading or Professional Employment Agency. The features they have in common are that they are all agencies set up by particular organizations to help their own members or ex-members find employment and that they are generally nonprofit making. The agencies of this kind that employers are likely to need and use most regularly are:-

1. Career services of academic institutions: Universities and similar institutions maintain a full-time career advisory service. They serve as an employment agency for graduating or recently graduated students, are centers of information for graduates about employment opportunities and for employers who are seeking potential managers or professional specialist.

2.Employment services of professional institutions: A number of professional institutions, such as those representing accounts, engineers, etc. have an employment advisory service whereby a register is kept of members seeking employment and information is collected from employers seeking staff in particular professions.

3. Employment exchange provided by the state service for young people provides a regular liaison between employers and unemployed youth.

While both types of employment agencies have flourished, a private employment agency with experience and professionalism is the most sought after.

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Employment Agencies Are Helpful for Finding Quality Employees

Employment agencies can be an excellent option to assist in a job hunt or for finding a suitable employee for your company. I have found employment agencies to be very helpful in finding great employees, and I didn't have to spend a lot of my time doing interviews and background checks. My own company pays the employment agencies, which then send us employees that have been previously interviewed. Keep in mind that although employment agencies provide a place for companies to start their employee search, they can't eliminate every unsuitable candidate. Local employment agencies sent two of my best and undoubtedly reliable employees to my company. Both of these employees were hired full-time within the first week.

Job seekers may have better luck by registering at employment agencies. Many potential employers wish to avoid the time and effort involved with placing a newspaper ad and interviewing applicants. It can take a great deal of time to complete the full interview process for all potential new hires. When a company contacts an employment agency with a request for an employee with specific abilities, the agency can go to its database of pre-screened applicants to find exactly what the company is looking for. If you are hunting for a job, employment agencies can send you to fill the position so that you can start immediately. Mailing out your resume and not knowing if anyone has looked at it, while you sit by the phone, will be a thing of the past. You won't have to go through being nervous in a job interview. As the employment agencies make offers to you, you may accept or reject the position. These jobs can last just a few weeks or months, or they may be permanent. Employment agencies have helped countless people get high paying, full-time jobs.

When moving to a new area it is a good idea to use the services of an employment agency. Maybe you have moved to a new area and are unfamiliar with the town or the job market. You can use an employment agency to find out which companies you fit with the best. There's typically no cost for employees since the company that hires them is responsible for any fees. When employers know about the work and time involved in finding an employee, they willingly pay the fees. They only need to wait for the employee assigned to arrive.

If you are not trained for the jobs they need employees for, sometimes employment agencies will offer the necessary training of the skill for that job. Often you can learn basic computing skills and programs at the employment agency. You might be given assistance in resume and job interview preparation. Some of these training opportunities are free, while some others will cost a small fee. Both job hunters and prospective employers find employment agencies to be a good place to start.

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Five Ways To Find The Best Employment Agency

People around the globe consistently rate two things in their lives as the most important: their families and their jobs. When something goes wrong in either of these areas, it's always a serious problem.

In addition, in the United States, Canada, Mexico, England, Australia and New Zealand, the number one cause for divorce is job-related financial problems.

Using an employment agency to find the right job for your skills and salary requirements can make your career search much easier and faster.

All employee agencies are not created equal. As in every field of business, some are very good and some have a low success rate. When making your decision about which employment agency is best for you, consider these five points:

1. How long has the employment agency been in business?

Agencies that have been in existence for five or more years have usually established a good reputation for success with both employers who seek qualified applicants, and for clients who register with the agency to aid in their job search.

2. Does the agency's prospective employers coincide your skill level?

If you're seeking a position as an executive administrative assistant in a large company but don't have the necessary skills for this high-level job, the agency should inform you of this problem right away and refer you to another employment agency with a prospectus of employers more suitable for your skills.

3. How did you find the employment agency?

In a matter as important as your career and financial stability, picking up the telephone book and picking an agency at random isn't a good idea. Word of mouth is an excellent way to choose an agency; ask friends, current co-workers or anyone else you know if they have used a particular agency with good results.

Primarily, audition the employment agency! Since your career depends upon the qualifications and procedures of the agency, you have the right to ask questions such as their percentage success rate and an honest appraisal of how an agency can best help you.

4. What's your first impression of the agency personnel?

Jobs seem more scarce these days, and there is more competition for some specialty areas. When you first meet with the personnel manager assigned to you, pay attention to his/her demeanor towards you - are you viewed as just another case file, or does your manager take a serious interest in your job search?

5 Ask specific questions about the employment agency's policies.

Before you register with an agency, ask about how many interviews you can expect per week, and exactly how the agency intends to advocate for you in your job search.

If you don't like what you hear or see about the agency, don't settle for less! Keep looking until the "feel" of the agency is right for you.

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Employment Agencies On The Rise

As more and more people are being laid off and replaced by technology, more and more people are finding themselves unemployed. It is sometimes difficult to find a new job in today's competitive job market. Every year thousands of people are turning to employment agencies as a way to aid them in their job search. Employment agencies specialize in placing individuals with companies that would be a good fit. These agencies have access to thousands of companies that are looking for employees. By signing up with several different employment agencies you are sure to increase your chance of finding the best job available for you.

Employment in UK is becoming harder and more difficult to find every year as more people are graduating from universities and expanding the talent pool. Employment agencies are always looking to add new companies to recruit for, and new employees to place within these companies. While employment in UK continues to become more competitive, employment agencies such as Adecco, which is very popular in the United States, continue to garner more business every year.

A big plus of employment agencies is that they work for you. They do not get paid by their clients, unless they place you with them. This makes the agency more urgent to get you a job, because if they do not, they may be joining the unemployment ranks.

Like employment agencies in the United States, employment agencies in UK generally do not charge the employee for searching a job out for them. Generally speaking employment agencies find you work cost free! They collect all of their fees from their clients. But nothing is that easy, is it?

Employment agencies also do a good job of screening job seekers. They make their money by placing quality employees with their clients, and relying on repeat business. Therefore agencies must screen applicants to ensure that they will provide quality work. Screening may consist of checking into the applicant's background, as well as testing at their office. Both language and math may be tested. For the majority of applicant these tests are no problem at all. Employment agencies realize this, but must administer these tests as to cover themselves if something does not work out with their client.

Employment in UK is growing every year, which is a positive sign for job seekers. The growth of the technology sector has opened up jobs for many new graduates, as well as experienced professionals.

Though more jobs are becoming available, competition is also heating up! Employment agencies realize this and are prospecting on a daily basis looking to add new clients, and new applicants to place into jobs. The jobs available do come in thick and fast so new clients will keep all those positions within those new jobs filled.

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How Do Talent Agencies Work?

Many people who have the barest understanding of Hollywood and the entertainment industry know that most successful actors, models, singers, and musicians have one thing in common: they have excellent talent agencies representing them. Whether you are someone just breaking into the business or a seasoned professional, retaining the right firm can be the key to building a long and successful career.

But first things first, any aspiring entertainer first needs to understand the structure of the industry and the role that talent agencies play in landing you the best gigs. The role of a firm is to act as a go-between for you and your potential employers. Since the late 1950s, when the Hollywood studio system began to shift from committing actors for a set number of pictures to hiring them as need, professionals have worked to help connect entertainment producers with the creative labor they sought. By turning to a firm that specializes in placing that kind of labor, studios and other sources of entertainment were able to more efficiently hire their future stars.

While this system may be most closely associated with Hollywood, talent agencies specialize and work with a wide array of skilled individuals. Some of these include actors (with further specialties in voice-over work, child and animal actors, and so on), writers, musicians, athletes, broadcast journalism, and models. Some of these firms may only work with one type of person, while others may offer their services to many different types of people.

So how do these people make money? Talent agencies do not take just anyone on as a client; they want to know that their new client is someone who is likely to book gigs in their chosen field. Most audition potential clients before taking them on. Once a performer has been signed, the firm works to match them with appropriate work, taking a percentage of the performer's profits as their fee. A common amount is 10 percent of a client's earnings, though this can certainly vary depending on the industry or the prestige of the firm.

Just be careful before signing any contracts with a talent agency - you'll need to confirm that they're a legitimate business. A good firm should be able to provide you with examples of successful clients they have worked with in the past and present a certain level of professionalism in their work. Do not trust a representative that asks you for any money upfront or requires you to take one of their special "classes" to prepare you for the job market. These are usually sure sign that they're not properly representing themselves. While it is true that some firms may request you do additional work (such as improving certain skills or getting a new haircut, for example), they will never ask you to give them movie before they get you work.

Jumping into the world of entertainment is both exciting and scary, but with the right guide by your side and a bit of luck, you can find success in your chosen field!

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