7 Best Practices to Look at When Selecting an IT Staffing Agency

Employees are an asset to organizational success. A company with smart and productive employees, streamlined processes, and quality products/ services are successful and generates better returns.

It can be achieved by hiring the right talent for your business functions and retaining them with the company.

Of course, it’s not as easy to put this into practice as it sounds for software companies or other industries looking for the development of software solutions. 

Running the business, ensuring employee satisfaction, and hiring talented software development teams requires a complete understanding of the requirement and management strategy in place.

That’s why many companies worldwide hire IT staffing agencies to take over the responsibility. Even if the company has an in the house HR department, the recruitment and staffing services are usually handed over to an offshore/ third-party managed IT, service provider. 

IT staffing services are highly popular in the industry and ensure that your business hires the best candidates for the job. The staffing agency will work as per your requirements and provide the right talent to fill the key positions. Staffing agencies have access to many eligible candidates in the market. 

That said, the success of your recruitment depends on the IT staffing agency you hire. Let’s look at the best practices to follow when selecting a fully managed IT staffing agency for your business. 

Best Practices to Look at When Selecting an IT Staffing Agency

Below are some of the best practices and questions to ask before selecting an IT staffing agency.

Questions to Evaluate the IT Staffing Agency before Hiring

Consider the below questions (and the answers) before you finalize an IT staffing agency to handle the software development team hiring and management needs. 

What is the Experience of the IT Staffing Agency in Your Industry?

Even though the record doesn’t guarantee 100% success in your project, it will assure you that the onshore or offshore IT staffing agency can handle your requirements and specifications. It’s vital to know that the agency has experience dealing with the pressure of recruiting prime talent for a business. 

What is the Staffing Agency’s Time to Hire?

Staffing agencies also need time to find the right candidate for the job and finalize the recruitment. Each agency has its own timeline and hiring process. You need to determine if their schedule and working durations match yours. If you want an IT employee hired ASAP, and the agency takes a minimum of eight weeks, it won’t help you, so plan accordingly.

What is Their Track Record with Clients?

How does the Tech Staffing Agency deal with its clients? Does it have a large talent pool of candidates to choose from? What do the candidates feel about the agency? How a staffing agency treats its candidates is an indicator of its reputation and reach in the market. Agencies with more reach can easily find IT, employees, for high-end positions. 

Does the Staffing Agency Have Any Certifications?

The staffing agency you contact should be capable of managing tricky job positions and adhering to time constraints. Though it is not compulsory, look for staffing agencies with professional certifications. 

Tech Staffing Agency Partner needs to be Transparent 

Communication, honesty, and transparency are crucial for long-term partnerships between companies and agencies. How does the staffing agency respond to your queries and requests? Did the agency appoint a manager to maintain communication with you? Are you satisfied with the answers they provide? 

A managed IT staffing agency should not be vague in its response. It should keep you updated about the recruitment process and answer your queries clearly, and concisely. The agency should not force you to make decisions without proper analysis or discussion. 

Agency’s Software Engineering Team Strengths 

While some agencies provide staffing services for all jobs in the IT industry, other agencies limit themselves to particular roles and levels. Does the IT services company have expertise in your area of requirements? Can the staffing agency hire an entry-level candidate and a high-level employee simultaneously? 

How many team members will work on your project, and what are their qualifications? What ways does the agency adopt to source its candidates? Does it use online tools and platforms, have an offline base, or work with both? All of these questions must be asked prior to hiring an IT Staffing Agency.  

IT Staffing Agency’s Rates in U.S., Nearshore or Offshore   

The services and prices of the staffing agency have to be transparent and easy to understand. Most staffing agencies charge a percentage of the candidate’s first year’s compensation. It ranges between 15% to 30% or more, depending on the nature and complexity of the job (and the hiring process).

You should be sure about what the term ‘compensation’ implies to the staffing agency. Does it mean the salary, or include even the bonus and incentives? Also, remember that the pricing for temporary positions will differ from the pricing for long-term jobs.

Evaluate Their Work Culture 

Before signing the contract for IT staffing services, make sure to understand the work culture of the agency and the candidates. You will get better results when the work cultures align and have similarities. The selected software developers & engineers will easily fit into your company culture, working with existing team members to start delivering results. 

It’s natural for the technology staffing agencies to have a turnover rate. Poor placements cannot be avoided. But how the agency deals with such issues determine how well you can work with them. 

Ask for a Developer Trial on Profiles

Ask the staffing agency for an hourly development trial on profiles to determine if the talent pool meets your expectations. A trial period or a sample profile check will give you a better idea of how well your vision aligns with the staffing agency. 

Remember that you need to consider more than one agency and compare their experience and services before deciding. Take your time interacting with the shortlisted IT staffing agencies and understanding their services. 

Final Thoughts 

VLink offers managed IT staffing solutions to  SMBs and large enterprises around the globe.

With over sixteen years of experience in the industry, the company has gained a reputation as a reliable, transparent, flexible, and affordable IT solution provider.

Talk to our IT talent expert to know more. What are your thoughts on these Best Practices to Look at When Selecting an IT Staffing Agency?

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