What Job Seekers Should Look for in an Engineering Staffing Agency

Engaging an engineering staffing agency to help you find employment can be a great way to break into the job market. Staffing agencies are trained to find the best opportunities for their clients, and they often have access to listings you are unaware of. But choosing which staffing agency to go with can be a difficult process, especially since there are so many staffing agencies in operation. As you make your decision, keep in mind these key things that you should be looking for in an engineering staffing agency.

Industry-Specific Expertise

Some staffing agencies work with multiple different industries, providing job seekers with a large pool of cross-industry openings. If you’re looking to break into the engineering industry, however, you should look for a staffing agency that works within this industry specifically, and boasts a certain level of engineering-specific expertise. The staffing agency you choose will be the gateway into engineering positions you might not otherwise have access to. The more contacts your staffing agency has within that industry, and the more knowledge and expertise they have in engineering market demands, the better off you’ll be in finding your ideal job.

If possible, choose a staffing agency that works within the engineering industry exclusively; that way, they’ll know exactly how to navigate the engineering job market. If you’re interested in a staffing agency that works in more industries than engineering, that’s fine, but make sure that they still have an extensive level of expertise. Don’t be afraid to ask potential staffing agencies questions about their knowledge of the engineering industry. How well do they understand the demands and fluctuations of the engineering job market? How many engineering firms do they have contacts in? How many jobs in engineering companies have they found for their clients? These are all completely appropriate—and important—questions to ask staffing agencies before making a commitment.

Personal Attention

Once you’ve chosen a staffing agency, recruiters will begin working to find you job opportunities that are uniquely tailored to your specific qualifications and skill set. Recruiters provide a great opportunity for you to receive instructional feedback to help you learn and develop your strengths. It’s important to look for a staffing agency that prioritizes personal attention, so that as you go through the process of finding a job, you’re given the support you need and the feedback that will help you grow.

A good engineering staffing agency will sit down with you and go over things like your strengths and weaknesses, your career expectations, and your resume. They’ll be able to give you the necessary guidance, tell you where you can improve, and help you present yourself in the best light on paper and in person. A good engineering staffing agency will also help provide insight into the job market you’re looking to enter. This is, again, where the engineer expertise will come in handy. An agency that understands the fluctuations in the market, knows how to navigate them, and keeps you in the loop, is imperative. It’s important to choose an engineering staffing agency that offers support should you have any questions or concerns. It’s also vital that recruiters keep in regular contact with you and give you updates on the job search and the job market.

Something else that might seem less important, but is actually essential when choosing an engineering staffing agency, is how you feel about the agency. Do you feel comfortable with the recruiters you have met? Do you feel comfortable with the company at large? Do you feel that your values and priorities align with theirs? Your engineering staffing agency will be representing you to potential employers, and is therefore an extension of you during the job search process. Feeling comfortable with the staffing agency is vital in this regard.

To read more on this topic check out these related blogs:

Engineering Recruiters Can Help Advance Your Civil Engineering Career 
Engineering Recruitment Agencies: 4 Things You Likely Don’t Know 
Have You Considered These 6 Careers in Engineering?