Finding a Reputable Employment Agency
You have decided to work with an employment agency. While they all basically operate the same way (a client calls with a job, a candidate is provided), the quality of service provided to the candidate can greatly differ from agency to agency. Before visiting in-person, interviewing an employment agency by phone will provide valuable insight into its general business practices, giving you a good idea of whether the agency will be of use in your job search.
Explain to whoever answers the phone (some agencies employ a receptionist, while others route calls directly to placement counselors) why you are interested in the agency and that you have some questions. If no one is available to speak with you (and no suggested return-call time is given), or if you are directed to a website to gather information, cross this agency off your list. Such responses indicate: 1) not much business is being done, otherwise the agency would want to know your background in hopes of increasing its available candidate pool; and 2) candidates are not seen as individuals but as skill sets, otherwise the agency would be interested in how your particular talents could be marketed to particular clients.
If the agency is interested in speaking with you, discussion should center on the kind of job placements made. Are assignments temporary or temp-to-hire? Not specializing in a particular field (ie, placing clerical AND warehouse workers) indicates that the agency may not have solid relationships within the business community. Available jobs will most likely be entry-level due to clients' trusting higher-end positions to agencies with which they have already established a relationship. (However, you may want to continue interviewing this agency, if only to use as a backup.)
There is only one question to be asked about the employment contract: Are penalties assessed if you leave an assignment earlier than originally intended, for any reason? There should not be, as reputable employment agencies understand that what is originally thought to be a "good fit" between candidate and client may not ultimately prove to be such. A clause stating that your pay rate will be cut if you leave an assignment earlier than intended (ie, hired at $12/hr, but leaving knocks pay back to $9/hr, even for work already done) shows that filling orders is more important than properly matching candidates and clients, especially since this arrangement typically falls on the candidate side, with clients being charged the regular rate (leaving the agency to make a profit off both sides' "misery").
Lastly, ask about the paycheck. Does the agency pay weekly or is one week held back? If fees are deducted for requesting one form of payment over another (ie, choosing direct deposit instead of paper check), or if payment exists only in alternative forms (ie, reloadable debit cards from odd banks), the agency: 1) does not do much business, otherwise it would have a normal banking relationship; and 2) probably aligns itself with a transient workforce, which never leads to lucrative job placements as the turnaround is too high.
If you like what the agency has to say, make an appointment. Working with an employment agency can be a lucrative relationship resulting in a good job at a good salary. But not all agencies offer quality service. Phone interviewing before visiting in-person will give you a good idea on how an agency conducts business, and if a partnership will be beneficial in your job search.
