3 Tips for Interviewing with a Staffing Company

When you interview with a prospective employer, you’re taught to put your best foot forward and present your best side. But what about when you go to a staffing company for help finding a job? Are you supposed to treat it like a real interview?

Interviewing with a staffing company is just like interviewing with any other potential employer. You must be prepared, professional, and informative.

Be Prepared. Before you go to an interview at a staffing agency, make sure your résumé and references are in order. If you’re looking for a job in a particular industry, make sure your résumé reflects that. Also, confirm that your contact information for your references, including phone numbers, job titles, and companies, are correct so your interviewer can quickly check references with your previous employers. You will make it easier for the staffing consultant to find you a job if you’re prepared for the interview with up-to-date and accurate information. 

Be Professional. Even though you aren’t interviewing to work at the staffing company, you still want to act and dress appropriately. Staffing consultants make their recommendations to hiring companies based on your résumé, demeanor, and experience. So, make sure to wear your best interview attire and act professional.

Be Informative. The one slight difference between interviewing with a staffing agency and interviewing with a potential employer is the kind of information you tell the interviewer. During an interview at a staffing agency, it is OK to talk about the kinds of jobs you are and are not interested in and what types of employers you might like to work for. You can speak a little more freely in a staffing interview, but remember, you still need to be professional. Too much information about your personal business, past employers, or mistakes in the past can be a bad thing and could even decrease your chances of finding a satisfying career.

Interviewing at a staffing company can be a great way to find a job, but you have to treat it like any other job opportunity. Being prepared, professional, and informative is essential in getting the most out of your staffing company interview experience. 

Have a question? Share it in the comments section.

Comments

[Kathy Tangeman]

How do you handle the question of being fired in an interview?

[Jennifer]

Kathy

I would suggest reading "How to Handle an Interview after You've Been Fired." It will help you handle such a question if it is brought up in an interview with a staffing company or with any other prospective employer. You can find the link below.

http://blog.expresspersonnel.com/movinonup/2008/08/how-to-handle-a.html

Jennifer|Express Job Blogger

[Robert Hahn]

Your tips on interviewing with a staffing company should also include the expectation that the staffing company will follow-up with the interviewed person.

[Daniel B]

So then its not ok to ask for resume help from an employment agency?

[Tiffany - Express Job Blogger]

@ Daniel -
It depends on the staffing company, the volume of applicants they have, and the jobs that they are trying to fill. In most cases, they would at least be able to provide you with resources to help you in your resume writing process.

Also, check out the resumes and cover letters section of this blog: http://blog.expresspros.com/movinonup/resumes_and_cover_letter

[Marc]

Reading the above stuff is a good suggestion for improving your resume. What I like to do in addition to following things like that is find the 1 or 2 people I know that never have a problem finding a job and get them to look over my resume and make suggestions. Incredibly valuable.