As the workforce returns to the office post-pandemic, the newly rejuvenated talent marketplace is buzzing with activity.
Recent shifts in job availability have led to increased job-hopping, and 42% of employed job seekers <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/job-hopping-back-48-searchers-now-expect-land-more-money-anders/" data-gc-link="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/job-hopping-back-48-searchers-now-expect-land-more-money-anders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">feel confident about their chances of advancing their careers</a>. On the flip side, candidates <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/a-new-wave-in-recruiting-how-returnships-help-employers-and-candidates-get-ahead" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/a-new-wave-in-recruiting-how-returnships-help-employers-and-candidates-get-ahead" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">re-entering the workforce</a> presents new opportunities for hiring managers to diversify their talent sources.
Additionally, organizations are entering a growth period after nearly 17 months of uncertainty. Their talent teams want to take advantage of various job seekers entering or transitioning into specialized industries, such as IT and engineering.
However, the growing demand for high-quality, motivated talent means more work for hiring managers and internal recruiters. And rather than leaning on churn-and-burn or reactive hiring models, these teams need expert support to establish an effective recruiting strategy. 
In this post, we'll share four reasons companies use staffing agencies to set their talent teams up for success.
<h2>1. Reach New Talent Pools</h2>
Online job boards are probably the most popular recruiting tool on the market. They aggregate a large pool of candidates and require minimal technical expertise, but these sources still pose a few challenges for recruiters.
These sites typically use AI and automation to identify candidates by resume information or specific pre-defined keywords in their bio. This approach produces a list of candidates quickly but doesn't <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/advocacy-in-action-erasing-the-opportunity-divide-in-the-workforce" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/advocacy-in-action-erasing-the-opportunity-divide-in-the-workforce" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">account for the 'human' aspect of hiring</a>, which actually creates more work for internal recruiters in the interview and evaluation stages. Plus, these widely used talent pools can easily go stagnant, presenting recruiters with the same list of potential candidates time and time again.
With the right talent partner, your teams will gain access to new, exclusive talent pools with candidates they wouldn't find on the open market. Plus, a staffing agency can offer non-traditional sourcing strategies that include the qualifications that most big-box job boards typically don't consider. 
<h2>2. Connect with Diverse, Qualified Candidates</h2>
One of the biggest reasons companies use staffing agencies is because of the lack of talent diversity. Recruiters on the same talent team tend to think comparably and produce similar search results. Sourcing talent through a staffing agency won't just increase the number of candidates you reach but also the quality of each candidate in your talent pipeline. That means you should steer clear of staffing partners who boast rapid results and don't share insights into how they source and vet job seekers.
The right staffing agency will take a unique approach to talent and <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/rethink-qualified-creating-a-more-well-rounded-workforce" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/rethink-qualified-creating-a-more-well-rounded-workforce" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">evaluate each candidate on a personal level</a>. They can go a step deeper than resume-based evaluations, with capabilities like:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Interactive video introductions</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Personality and career assessments</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Bios that create a 360 view of each candidate</li>
</ul>
These tools help your teams evaluate characteristics like work ethic, flexibility, and real-world experience in addition to professional expertise and technical skills. Plus, this holistic evaluation process supports diversity, equity, and inclusion by giving recruiters access to diverse candidates and allowing them to evaluate them on an <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/equity-vs-equality-a-slight-but-crucial-difference-in-the-workforce" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/equity-vs-equality-a-slight-but-crucial-difference-in-the-workforce" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">equitable scale</a>.
<h2>3. Speed up the Hiring Process</h2>
A staffing agency should do more than present your internal team with a list of available candidates. They should <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/top-staffing-and-recruiting-companies-have-these-five-qualities-in-common" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/top-staffing-and-recruiting-companies-have-these-five-qualities-in-common" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">offer reliable, expert support every step of the way</a>, from the initial talent search to a new employee's first day on the job. This includes sharing tasks with your recruiters and hiring managers, such as:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Outlining high-level hiring goals</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Defining candidate criteria</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Creating comprehensive job listings</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Reviewing resumes and candidate information</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Identifying best-fit candidates</li>
</ul>
All of these supporting steps, coupled with proven best practices and expert guidance, will help your recruiters spend less time reviewing stacks of resumes or conducting dozens of interviews each week. Companies use staffing agencies because they offer the right mix of tools and techniques &mdash; like job listing templates, interview strategies, and more &mdash; to reduce your staff's daily workload and speed up the hiring process without compromising candidate quality.
<h2>4. Prepare Your Organization for Ongoing Success</h2>
Partnering with a staffing agency doesn't just benefit your recruiters and hiring managers. When these teams can source high-quality talent quickly and accurately, they're able to support the growth and future development of your organization as a whole.
Investing in new <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/getting-ahead-of-the-talent-deficit-5-ways-to-improve-your-staffing-and-recruiting-efforts" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/getting-ahead-of-the-talent-deficit-5-ways-to-improve-your-staffing-and-recruiting-efforts" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">staffing and recruiting strategies</a> will help you develop a proactive approach to talent acquisition, allowing you to forecast and meet long-term staffing goals. Your staffing agency partner can help you create a more robust talent network over time and offer industry-leading recommendations to refine or polish your approach to sourcing and staffing.
Plus, direct hiring through an agency typically results in higher levels of employee loyalty and stability due to candidate-friendly hiring practices and clear, upfront communications about expectations for both parties.
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Partnering with a staffing agency can streamline your hiring efforts and prepare your organization for ongoing success. However, the value of your partnership hinges on the staffing agency you choose to employ.
As you narrow down your options, consider not only what the agency can do but why they're offering these resources in the first place. The best hiring tactics center around candidates and employers alike, ensuring each party finds the best fit and receives ample support along the way.
CareerCircle's commitment to candidate advocacy and supporting underrepresented groups gives us a unique perspective on <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/rethink-qualified-creating-a-more-well-rounded-workforce" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/rethink-qualified-creating-a-more-well-rounded-workforce" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">what it means to be qualified</a> for an open role.
We work with various non-profits and other talent groups to find diverse, highly motivated job seekers and support their career success through <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/upskilling-yourself-for-tomorrows-economy" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/upskilling-yourself-for-tomorrows-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">upskilling</a> and mentoring.
Then, we make it easy for your hiring teams to identify and connect with right-fit candidates through an online platform that streamlines job creation, talent searches, and candidate evaluation through a single, easy-to-use hiring manager dashboard.
Looking for more ways to build a high-value talent pipeline? Download our free talent pipeline checklist to get started.

Partnering with a staffing agency can streamline your hiring efforts and prepare your organization for ongoing success.

4 Reasons Companies Use Staffing Agencies

The growing demand for high-quality, motivated talent means more work for hiring managers and internal recruiters. And rather than leaning on churn-and-burn or reactive hiring models, these teams need expert support to establish an effective recruiting strategy.

Building Proactive Talent Partnerships: 4 Reasons Companies Use Staffing Agencies

2020: a year of uncertainty, change, obstacles, and triumphs. In the midst of a global pandemic and workforce upheaval, racial injustice skyrocketed to the top of our newsfeed and dominated our media sources.
For many, the events of 2020 were a wake-up call, personally and professionally. And while diverse staffing has always been important, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&amp;I) leaders are now looking to leverage last year's momentum to refine how they approach workplace diversity. 
Diversity makes teams and leaders stronger, but it has become an even more impactful issue as people are beginning to understand the <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/advocacy-in-action-erasing-the-opportunity-divide-in-the-workforce" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/advocacy-in-action-erasing-the-opportunity-divide-in-the-workforce" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">true divide between expectations and reality</a>. It's no longer enough for organizations to simply express their values or beliefs. They need to develop sponsorships, allyships, and other equitable hiring practices that foster real change in their organizations. 
<h2>The Corporate DE&amp;I Dilemma</h2>
If the reality check of 2020 was meant to be a catalyst for change, why haven't many corporations made drastic DE&amp;I shifts across recruiting, hiring, and workplace education?
Most organizations have an internal Head of DE&amp;I or similar diversity-focused leader. This person may very well be "doing the work" already, by:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Building external relationships with diverse staffing partners</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Championing allyships, returnships, and enablement programs</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Committing to DE&amp;I improvements across their organization</li>
</ul>
However well-intentioned these individuals may be, the challenge often lies in going from the enterprise level to the department level. How can DE&amp;I leadership get their recruiters and talent acquisition teams on board? How can they reach their end-user: the person hiring the people?
As your organization's DE&amp;I leader, you may have publicly committed to hiring X number of diverse candidates this year, but have you:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Brought external departments and other teams up to speed on your efforts?</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Asked service teams and managers to contribute to your strategy?</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Given these teams the resources and freedom they need to support this commitment?</li>
</ul>
First, it's about articulating the idea of workplace equity to the hiring managers actually doing the recruiting. Then, giving them actionable strategies and reliable resources to follow through on your company's mission.
<h2>Equity vs. Equality: What Does Fair Look Like?</h2>
The term '<a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/equity-vs-equality-a-slight-but-crucial-difference-in-the-workforce" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/equity-vs-equality-a-slight-but-crucial-difference-in-the-workforce" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">workforce equity</a>' has gained a good deal of mainstream traction in recent years, but what does it really look like in practice?
While equality affords every person the exact same resources, like access to an online certification course at a 20% discount, equity levels the playing field.
An equitable training solution will take more than the course itself into account: some candidates may need financial support to pay for the course, while others can afford it without hesitation. Other candidates may first need to complete a pre-requisite, or they may need career mentoring to prepare them for the certification class and resulting resume updates.
Equitable recruiting takes multiple facets of each candidate into account, ensuring each individual has a fair shot at success. And it's up to hiring managers and DE&amp;I leaders to implement practices that<a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/rethink-qualified-creating-a-more-well-rounded-workforce" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/rethink-qualified-creating-a-more-well-rounded-workforce" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> support workforce equity</a>. 
-
It's time to turn your promises into real-world progress.
At CareerCircle, we'll help you design actionable solutions and company culture initiatives that deliver measurable progress against your DE&amp;I goals.
Let's work together to make 2020 the springboard for change that we build upon. Check out the blog, How to Promote Equity in Staffing and Recruiting for some tips on how to get started.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) leaders are now looking to leverage last year's momentum to refine how to approach workplace diversity.

The Value of Equitable Hiring Practices

For many, the events of 2020 were a wake-up call, personally and professionally. And while diverse staffing has always been important, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) leaders are now looking to leverage last year's momentum to refine how they approach workplace diversity.

Building the Workforce of the Future: The Value of Equitable Hiring Practices

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&amp;I) leaders and hiring managers are actively looking to turn the challenges of 2020 into equitable hiring strategies for the future. However, putting these diversity and inclusion plans into action requires more than pure intentions and accurate goal setting.
Your hiring staff and DE&amp;I teams already balance an ever-growing number of internal tasks, plus the occasional firefight or last-minute requests from higher-ups. And adding new DE&amp;I initiatives to their already-full plates isn't always a viable option.
So, how can you put your high-level plans for workforce equity into practice?
You need ongoing support from a reliable talent acquisition partner. <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/top-staffing-and-recruiting-companies-have-these-five-qualities-in-common" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/top-staffing-and-recruiting-companies-have-these-five-qualities-in-common" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The right staffing agency</a> can champion various recruiting projects and promote equitable workforce development across your organization.
In this post, we'll highlight three ways a staffing agency can support your ongoing DE&amp;I initiatives and help you build an equitable workforce.
<h2>High-Value Network Partnerships</h2>
It's impossible to interview and hire the right candidates if you can't find them in a growing sea of available talent. As recruiters look to diversify their sourcing strategies, they'll likely look to non-profits and other organizations that support underrepresented talent.
Unfortunately, it's not as simple as calling up a local non-profit employment agency or career mentoring program and asking for a list of contacts. These partnerships take significant time and trust investments to build and maintain &ndash; which makes outreach a daunting task for most internal hiring or DE&amp;I teams who would need to manage:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Outreach to identify best-fit partners</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Trust development through resource sharing, events, and other ongoing activities</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Consolidating candidate information from multiple groups into a single database</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Following up with non-profit partners after hiring affiliated candidates</li>
</ul>
The good news is, a staffing agency or similar talent partner can manage various non-profit relationships simultaneously, gaining access to new candidates and fostering long-term pipeline sourcing from underserved communities &ndash; like veterans, BIPOC, and moms re-entering the workforce. As a staffing agency acquires new partners and diversifies its network, recruiters get access to the resulting talent sources and candidate connections.
<h2>Nontraditional Candidate Assessments</h2>
The workforce is evolving as recruiters move away from traditional, resume-based evaluations to <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/getting-ahead-of-the-talent-deficit-5-ways-to-improve-your-staffing-and-recruiting-efforts" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/getting-ahead-of-the-talent-deficit-5-ways-to-improve-your-staffing-and-recruiting-efforts" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">source right-fit candidates.</a> A more holistic approach to hiring doesn't just humanize job seekers and save recruiters hours of paperwork &ndash; it also gives diverse, nontraditional candidates a better chance at connecting with the right employer. 
However, it's not always realistic for recruiters to sit down with each candidate for an hour-long interview in place of an online application.
And when candidates hear, "You're more than your resume," they need an alternative way to showcase their personality and intangible skills &ndash; like work ethic, passion projects, and past experiences.
That's where a staffing partner can help on both sides of the aisle. They use personalized assessment tools to give job seekers a leg up and help recruiters match candidates to careers efficiently through:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Short video introductions</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Personality assessments</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Career assessments</li>
</ul>
These and other similar tools give candidates a chance to personalize their applications. Plus, they can show off their soft skills and make a real, human impression on hiring managers before their first interview or formal evaluation.
The best part? This approach scales internally, too. Rather than coordinating a long agenda of introductions, creating a new candidate questionnaire in-house, or letting personal preference come into play, recruiters can use their staffing partner's tools to create a holistic &ndash; yet scalable &ndash;approach to the evaluation and hiring process.
<h2>Accessible Training Resources</h2>
As employers, employment agencies, and other organizations explore workforce equity they're realizing that simply offering a single training tool or course to every candidate isn't enough. Each person has unique needs, constraints, and career goals that should inform how employers and other partners support their journey.
Tools like <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/upskilling-yourself-for-tomorrows-economy" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/upskilling-yourself-for-tomorrows-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">upskilling courses</a> and online certifications help candidates stand out in a crowded job market. But simply offering up an available course doesn't mean everyone who's interested will get to attend. Some may need financial support, access to a computer, or pre-requisite mentoring to complete their certification or simply get through the course in the first place.
However, it's not feasible for individual employers to offer these resources to every job seeker in their industry or talent pipeline. They likely don't have the time to connect with and curate solutions for each candidate, and taking on the extra expenses themselves would drain their hiring budget in record time.
Top-tier staffing agencies work to get ahead of this deficit and set candidates up for success long before employers start to narrow down their list of prospects. They can offer accessible upskilling courses and source financial aid from their own partner networks.
Additionally, they'll work with industry leaders in IT and other high-demand fields to offer certifications at a discounted rate, or implement ongoing mentoring programs for job candidates. This collaborative approach builds trust between hiring teams, staffing agencies, and top technology brands. Plus, it further supports a diverse, qualified talent funnel for partnered employers.
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CareerCircle offers upskilling resources, candidate advocacy programs, and career matching tools to help connect you with diverse, right-fit candidates and support the future of workforce equity. Our specialized IT upskilling produces the workforce leaders of tomorrow, while holistic candidate-to-career matching ensures applicants are an excellent fit for your organization.
<a href="https://www.careercircle.com/contact" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/contact">Reach out to our team today</a> to learn more about our talent marketplace and <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/impact" data-gc-link="https://www.careercircle.com/impact" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">our commitment to creating equity</a> in the workforce.

We'll highlight three ways a staffing agency can support your ongoing DE&I initiatives and help you build an equitable workforce.

How Staffing Agencies Promote Equitable Workforce Development

In this post, we'll highlight three ways a staffing agency can support your ongoing DE&I initiatives and help you build an equitable workforce.

The Power of Partnership: How Staffing Agencies Promote Equitable Workforce Development

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Keep up to date with CareerCircle's latest blog posts on keeping an inclusive workforce.

Building Proactive Talent Partnerships: 4 Reasons Companies Use Staffing Agencies

Building the Workforce of the Future: The Value of Equitable Hiring Practices

The Power of Partnership: How Staffing Agencies Promote Equitable Workforce Development

Building Proactive Talent Partnerships: 4 Reasons Companies Use Staffing Agencies

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