Seminars & Events > Notes from Past Events > Employment Agencies

Employment Agencies Panel Notes

These are brief, informal notes taken from this event.

Three representatives from employment agencies participated in a panel discussion on Monday, April 3, 2005.

1. What kinds of positions and skills are in demand right now?
Creativity, multi-tasking, communication

2. Are your employer clients generally large or small firms?
Private companies mostly, but a cross section of all sizes.

3. What is the average duration of temporary assignments?
Aerotek has Sales Internship for 3 months; Ajilon’s assignments are 2 weeks minimum and up to 8-12 weeks; Corporate Interns’ internships are 3 mo. Minimum, the longest is 2 years.

4. How do you determine how much to pay? What would be a standard range?
Technical skills required. $9 – 16.00 per hour

5. Some people have commented that this generation of workers get bored easily and may have unrealistic expectations about work – what advice would you have for college students about what they should expect in their first professional jobs?
Work hard, be willing to show what you can do, show initiative, be eager to learn, demonstrate a positive attitude.

6. How will the labor shortage and fewer college grads affect your industry?
Agencies will be a more important part of the recruiting process for employers; their services will be in demand.

How should someone go about choosing which agency to apply to? There are many.
Find out a) what you want to do b) what services and benefits each agency has. Follow your gut feelings after interviewing with different places. Go ahead and register with multiple agencies so you have more than one working for you.

Agencies vary in terms of size, some are small, some are very large, national corporations. Does size provide advantages or disadvantages to applicants?
Not as a whole, but find out how many recruiters are on staff. How many sales people do they have? How many jobs do they have available? This will tell you how active they are, therefore, how much service you will get.

Do you provide software program training? Which and how?
Ajilon does provide basic testing and tutorials in most of the Microsoft Office software.

Can an applicant get benefits through you? If so, what kind and how does that happen?
At Ajilon after you have worked 1,500 hours you are eligible for paid holidays, and cash bonuses.

How does someone go about applying with you and what can they expect if you find a position for them? How does the process work?
Agencies will never guarantee that they will find an applicant a job.

Corporate Interns said the process begins on their web site where the applicant uploads their resume. Sometimes the applicant will be interviewed by CI staff, but usually communication is by phone or email. There are more intern applicants than there are positions available, so it is competitive right now.

Ajilon requires an online application and testing of basic computer skills. In addition, the applicant will interview with two staff people. Applicants check in with them once a week.

Panelists for Employment Agencies Fair

Eric Burggraff - Aerotek Scientific

Debra RayeAjilon - Administrative Staffing

Jeff Donnay - Corporate Interns