What Characteristics Should You Look for in an IT Staffing Company?

With some 25,000 staffing and recruiting firms in the US, you have a lot of choices when selecting an IT staffing company. How do you find the right company for your IT staffing needs? What do you look for in an IT staffing company when pages of search engine results light up your screen? Do you go for the cheapest, the most well-known one, or do you look for specific characteristics? The answer here is straightforward—you must check for several characteristics, which we will discuss in depth.

What Is an IT Staffing Company?

Also known as an IT recruitment/staffing agency, an IT staffing company is an organization that specializes in connecting businesses with qualified professionals for temporary, contract, or permanent positions in the field of information technology. 

How Does IT Staffing Work?

IT staffing is a hiring trend that typically involves several key steps. First, the client company communicates its staffing needs to the IT staffing agency, detailing the skills, experience, and qualifications required for the position. The staffing agency then sources candidates through various channels such as job boards, networking, and referrals. After pre-screening and assessing candidates, the agency presents a shortlist of qualified individuals to the client for interviews. Once the client selects a candidate, the staffing agency facilitates the onboarding process, including negotiating terms and finalizing contracts.

Advantages of Using IT Staffing Solutions

Does it really help to use an IT staffing company? Yes, and there are several benefits your organization can reap from hiring an IT consulting and staffing company. These include:

• Access to a diverse talent pool: Since IT staffing consulting companies maintain extensive networks of skilled professionals, your organization can tap into a broader talent pool than you might access through traditional hiring methods.
• Faster hiring process: IT staffing agencies can expedite the hiring process. With their expertise in candidate sourcing and screening, they can reduce your organization’s time to fill critical IT positions, which is essential for staying agile in a competitive market.
• Industry expertise: IT staffing firms specialize in the technology sector, meaning they possess a deep understanding of industry trends, skill requirements, and candidate expectations. This expertise ensures you’re matched with candidates with the right skills and experience for your IT roles.
• Cost efficiency: Your organization can save on internal hiring costs such as advertising, candidate screening, and onboarding, as well as avoid the expenses associated with prolonged job vacancies by using IT staffing solutions.

8 Characteristics To Look for When Hiring an IT Staffing or Consulting Company

When you embark on selecting a suitable IT staffing company for your needs, there are many things to consider and many questions you should ask. Use this list to help you get started:

1. Do They Demonstrate a Sense of Urgency?

First impressions count. If your initial request to an IT consulting and staffing company gets ignored or the response comes back two weeks later, you can probably draw some conclusions about how they will respond in the future.

You can determine what companies value by what they prioritize in their interactions with you. If they get back to you right away with helpful responses, this is a good sign that they value you as a potential customer and will prioritize your needs.

2. Will They Be Easy To Work With?

One of the primary reasons you turn to an IT staffing company for help in filling your open position is to make your life easier. Recruiting is likely not your area of expertise, and you probably have more work on your plate than you can get to daily.  As you evaluate various IT staffing firms, ask:

• Will they hand-hold me through the process?
• Will they adjust their approach or process where necessary to work effectively with me and my organization’s structure, or is it their way or the highway?
• Do they have the expertise to provide guidance and answer questions regarding best practices, processes, timelines, and competitive salary/rate ranges?

3. Will They Save You Time by Thoroughly Evaluating Candidates?

The best IT staffing firms provide a ton of value.

Specifically, you should look for a partner who not only screens the pool of candidates before presenting them to you but also does the next few steps, which is where the true heavy lifting occurs. The frustration that many hiring managers experience when working with IT staffing consulting companies can be avoided when you choose a firm that does a thorough technical evaluation and solid behavioral interviewing.

Your desired outcomes should be the ability to interview just a handful of high-quality candidates, choose the one who is capable of doing the job, and find someone who will be additive to your team’s culture. In other words, find a company that focuses on quality over quantity, views you as a long-term client, and has a vested interest in your success.

4. How Deep Is Their Candidate Pipeline? Do They Have Bench Resources on Staff?

Reputable staffing firms should leverage an applicant tracking system and other tools such as LinkedIn Recruiter to maintain strong relationships and valuable data about prospective candidates for your open positions. Ask the firm how many candidates they have in their database, and check out their online presence to see how well-connected they are to the type of tech talent you seek.

There are not many IT staffing firms out there that also employ software engineers on a full-time basis, but there are some. These can be an excellent choice because they will have bench strength and could have immediate availability of proven talent for which they can speak to specific strengths and past performance. Look for a firm that also does project-based work that leverages its team of full-time employees.

5. Can They Provide References Demonstrating the Depth of Their Expertise?

Keep in mind that past performance is always the best indicator of future performance. Take the time to look online for reviews from past clients. Google Business Reviews and Clutch are great places to start. It’s also a great idea to ask to speak to a few of their clients to hear first-hand what you should expect if you decide to engage with them.

6. Are They Genuinely Excited About Working With You?

With demand for technology talent at an all-time high, it is essential to have something compelling to offer to prospective candidates so that your opportunity stands out among all the others. Given that the IT staffing company will serve as the initial point of contact for these individuals, you need to be confident in their ability to “sell the sizzle” of your opportunity. They must demonstrate the ability to articulate what your company does, describe the impact of your product or service on the world, and speak to the unique culture, DNA, talents, and rewards of being part of your team.

7. How Will They React When Things Go Wrong?

Your project or staffing engagement may not go according to plan. An indication of how they will handle such situations can be derived by looking at their organization. Do they assign an account manager or equivalent as your primary point of contact? And is there a backup? How involved will executive leadership be in ensuring they perform at the level they committed to at the onset of your engagement?

It is wise to ask if they stand behind the quality of their work and if they offer warranty periods for direct hires/permanent placements.

Lastly, communication is always a critical component of success. Look for a firm that can clearly explain its process for providing consistent and ongoing status reports.

8. Will They Treat You as a Long-Term Partner?

During your initial discussions with the prospective staffing firm, explore and look for clues that would indicate their willingness to invest in your long-term success. When you need advice on the supply and demand for specific skillsets, current market rates, how to create a job description, or more strategic organizational or technology initiatives, will they gladly invest the time to help you out? If you host a weekend coding challenge or tech event, will they offer to help facilitate or serve as a judge? You should be confident that they will be just as responsive to you in times of need, even if there is no immediate financial gain to be realized.

Final Thoughts on IT Consulting and Staffing

There are many benefits to leveraging the strengths of an IT staffing firm for your contract and direct hire resource needs.  Without a deliberate plan or checklist of questions, the task of selecting the most suitable firm can be daunting. Avoid the temptation of just Googling popular terms like “IT staffing agencies Atlanta,” picking one, and hoping for the best. It’s worth the effort to ask those key questions to increase your likelihood of success.

SOLTECH stands out as one of the best IT agencies in Atlanta. Our unique position as both a software development company and an IT staffing agency with over 25 years of experience best places us to understand and meet your IT staffing needs, and match skilled professionals with the right roles. To learn more about our approach to talent acquisition, download our free No Hassle Guide To Talent Acquisition today!

FAQs

What are staffing agency best practices?

Before hiring an IT staffing agency, you can tell a lot about it by examining its adherence to best practices, such as thorough candidate vetting processes, clear communication channels, industry specialization, and a commitment to compliance with legal and ethical standards.

How important is industry specialization when choosing an IT staffing partner?

Very important. A firm with a deep understanding of the technology sector will be better equipped to source and vet candidates with the specific skills and experience required for your IT roles. This expertise ensures a higher likelihood of finding candidates who are the right fit for your organization.

How can I gauge the reputation and reliability of an IT staffing company?

Consider factors such as client testimonials, case studies, industry awards, and online reviews. Additionally, request references from past clients to gain insights into their experiences with the agency. A reputable staffing company will have a track record of satisfied clients and positive feedback within the IT community.

Ann Mooney

Ann Mooney is the Director of Business Development at SOLTECH, and has over 30 years in Sales and Account Management in the Technology, Telecommunications, and Medical Industries. Ann’s key specialties are building long-term business relationships, results-driven sales, and account management.

Ann joined SOLTECH in 2016, she works directly with SOLTECH’s clients to help find them the best technology solutions for their business. Ann utilizes her strategic leadership and proactive problem-solving skills to continually grow SOLTECH’s business and ensure excellent customer service.

With her years of experience in the technology industry, Ann likes to share her expertise to educate her audience on the enhancement of workplace productivity and growth through software solutions in her articles. Her insights offer advice on important considerations for creating custom software, including initial steps, development costs, and timelines, as well as the advantages of collaborating with a skilled software development team.