- Direct Placement A/K/A Permanent Placement
This type of placement usually happens for executive or mid to upper level management positions. Executive administrative assistants are also commonly placed on a perm basis.
A staffing agency or recruiter places you directly with the client company. You are on the client's payroll from day one.
The staffing firm sources, screens and recommends candidates to the hiring authority. The client company usually makes a hiring decision after interviewing the candidates.
The client company pays the recruiter a fee for this service usually based on a percentage of your annual compensation.
- Temporary-to-Hire A/K/A Temp-to-Perm
This type of staffing is prevalent in a wide variety of industries for many different job functions. Administrative, clerical, customer service and warehouse positions are a few of the most common ones.
This works when both you and the agency's client company want to make sure you and the position are a good match before making a more permanent commitment. Most often the client interviews a few candidates before deciding to whom the offer should be made.
You are on the placement agency's (temp) payroll for a specified period of time before going onto the client's (perm) payroll. This Temp side of the Temp-to-Perm placement can last 3 to 6 months or longer. The length of time depends upon the job market and the agreement between the client and staffing agency.
If during this "courtship" period either you or the client decide it's not a good match, the "separation" can be accomplished without anyone burning bridges. Conversely, if all parties are comfortable that it's a good match, the client can hire you ahead of time by paying a pro-rated direct placement fee to the agency.
The client company pays an hourly rate to the staffing firm while you are on the temporary payroll. There is sometimes an additional fee due from the client when you are hired and convert to the client's payroll.
- Temporary Placement A/K/A Temp Employment
Companies need temporary workers for a number of different reasons. The company may have a sudden influx of work and not enough internal employees to handle it. They may need to cover for someone who is going on vacation or need special skills for a finite period of time.
You are on the staffing agency's payroll while working at the agency client's place of business. Assignments can range from a few days to a few weeks, months or can last for an indefinite period of time (sometimes called project or long-term staffing).
You generally have the right to accept or decline assignments as they are offered. The length of the assignment, location of position, rate of pay, work hours and the nature of the work are all factors that should be communicated at the time the position is discussed.
The staffing firm pays you an agreed upon hourly rate. The client pays the staffing company an hourly rate for the time you work on the assignment.
- Contract Employment
Engineers, IT(Internet Technology) pros, or other technically related professionals sometimes work on a contract basis through a contract staffing firm. The work is usually project based. Even though it's listed here separately with other types of staffing it works just like temporary employment.
You contract with the staffing firm. But you work at the client's place of business. The client pays the staffing firm and the staffing firm pays you.
Staffing companies offer a number of other benefits in addition to the various types of staffing. Access to jobs not advertised; free resume and interview coaching; and the ability to earn money while looking for the ideal opportunity to name a few.
