Staffing firms help grads get work experience, but need to improve service
It’s a common misconception that if you want a good job then you need to go to college and get a degree. But in this economy where we’re getting a surplus of new graduates and a limited number of jobs, it’s not that simple. The majority of organizations with job openings want experienced people for their jobs — something those grads don’t have as they spent all of their time focusing on school and grades. Let’s face it, most companies will choose the candidate with years of experience over a new grad with a high GPA and no work history. It’s the proverbial Catch-22 — you need experience to gain experience. This was the challenge that most of my friends and I faced when we were job hunting.
I graduated from the University of California at Davis with a BA in psychology. Unlike most of my friends, I do have work experience: three years’ worth working in a research lab, so I thought I was set; I’d find a job quickly. I moved back into my parents’ home in the Silicon Valley area, hoping to find work and be able to get my own place within two months. That turned into eight months of unemployment, endless applications and a plethora of interviews that led nowhere. It seems like my degree and experience were useless in an area where computer science and engineering degrees are more valued.
Unequal Service
While I applied to employers directly, I also went to staffing firms. For college grads with little-to-no experience, staffing firms are a godsend. The challenge is to find the right one. The first two staffing firms I applied to promised to help me find something, but didn’t deliver at all. It seemed like they were more focused on gaining candidates for their database rather than finding someone like me suitable temp work.
My luck changed when I applied to my third staffing agency. I had very low expectations after my first two experiences. I went in and talked to one of their recruiters. She asked me many questions and praised my resume and even introduced me to other members of her staffing firm. Within two weeks, I got my first temp assignment.
I didn’t mind that it was short-term as long as I was finally out there doing something and gaining real world working skills. Graduates like me believe no job is too small; we’ll work as hard as we can. The hard work paid off. Through this staffing agency, I was able to work in many prominent companies and meet many great people. I gained real world working experiences and skills that I thought I’d never get. I got to work at software companies, consulting firms, scientific and engineering companies, hospitals, and even a law firm. I’ve experienced many different environments and have a feel of what I like and what I don’t like. If it weren’t for this staffing agency I, wouldn’t even have had the opportunity to write this column.
Be Receptive and Deliver
If I can give a piece of advice to new college grads who don’t have any work experience, I’d tell them to find a receptive staffing agency with people who are engaged and good at what they a do.
What would I tell staffing firms? Don’t make promises you can’t or won’t keep. Communicate with us. Even if there’s no assignment to be had yet, let us know you’re still looking.
I won’t recommend those first two companies to my friends. In fact, I will tell them to stay away, but I will recommend the third. A good firm doesn’t just want to increase its candidate pool, but also cares about the quality of their service to its candidates as well as the companies it places them with. Treating candidates like us in a cavalier manner will only come back to hurt you.
