There’s an old saying that we all frequently use; time is money. However true the sentiment is, it’s significantly more accurate and meaningful whenever you’re running a small brand or are even head of a large corporation. Every moment you’re not being productive and aren’t actively improving your presence, and profits can be hugely problematic. After all, if you’re not getting ahead, you’re falling behind.
And in order for you to get ahead, you have to have a fantastic team firmly in place and comfortable in their positions. That’s not exactly encouraging when you’re knee-deep in the hiring process. That simply takes time.
Wondering how long you can expect it to take when working with a staffing agency? Is the expectation of days reasonable, or is it more along the line of weeks? And what about event hiring? Never fear – we’ve got you covered with all the answers you need. Here’s how long it usually takes for candidate delivery and what all goes into the timeframe.
Major Influencing Factors
Everyone will always want the timing of their hires to be quick and zippy. It’s only natural that you want to get your candidate filled in and ready to work ASAP. But it doesn’t always work like that, and for a good reason. There are a vast number of factors all influencing how long both the screening process and candidate delivery will take, some relatively easy to manage and some entirely out of your control.
Perhaps one of the most significant, complicated factors relates to your industry. There are just naturally some industries that have a larger pool of candidates and quicker turnover time than others. For example, construction companies and jobs rarely have a prolonged hiring time. They’re almost always extremely quick on the figurative trigger. Why? Because there are always workers looking for a job, meaning any agencies involved can find the right fit faster and thus deliver candidates in a timely fashion.
Meanwhile, there are other industries that are well-known for dragging their feet throughout the entire hiring process, regardless of whether they’re using a staffing agency to help them out or they’re opting to hit the road solo. Manufacturing, the information sector, financial services, health services, education, and government agencies are just a few of the big ones. Yet, those alone make up a massive share of the market. 
Happen to find yourself amongst this crowd? Hiring can take an average of 29-48 days, according to DHI Hiring Indicators. Other industries that have a smaller number of prospective workers necessitate very specific skills, responsibilities, or certifications, or otherwise require extensive screening will likely encounter similar wait times. Staffing agencies can help speed this up thanks to large databases and vast resources, but the type of job in question still plays a huge role in hiring speed and candidate delivery.
There are also other factors to consider, too, of course. The length of job being offered, candidate scheduling, location, staffing agencies’ available resources, pay rate, and more should be factored into the equation. Although, the most important thing to keep in mind is that filling jobs will always take time and vary, especially within uncertain times. Ensuring the quality of all candidates doesn’t happen overnight, either. So, try to be patient when possible and consistently communicate your needs. Any good agency or hiring manager will do their best to accommodate and fill positions quickly when they can.
Are Quick Fills Possible?
Patience is a virtue, to be sure, although we do recognize that sometimes that’s far easier said than done. You may simply not be able to wait weeks on end, needing positions filled and candidates delivered anywhere from around a week to only a day. It happens – luckily, staffing agencies, temp agencies, and the like do often have ways of making this work and guaranteeing you’re not left empty-handed for long.
In these situations, the permanent employee of your dreams probably won’t be what you get out of the experience. Temporary hires will (probably) be the name of the game. These fills will be very short-term and likely only applicable for entry-level work as skill matching will be more superficial than it would otherwise. The application process that candidates undergo will be shorter than typically seen under the watchful eye of an agency, and interviews will be pretty quick.
However, they’ll also be at your job site or business and ready to go rather quickly, sometimes the very next day. Sure, they might not be the ideal fit for the future and may not have every skill checkmarked that you’d like, but they ensure your urgent needs are met now, so you have time to figure out more permanent candidates later.
Need candidates now for a specific event but also need assurance that quality isn’t going to be dropped down in the process?
Event staffing will be the best fit. Done by agencies of the same title, event staffing essentially combines the best of all worlds in one. Agencies will do all the rough work of recruitment, screening, training, etc., while guaranteeing workers are on-hand a week or two later at most.
Yet quality remains tightly in control. Event staffing agencies are experienced brand ambassadors who know the ins and outs of capturing attention and displaying your brand in a way that you’ll be proud to show off. That means all candidates are high-level, talented, and chosen specifically for you and your event. Your time and money will ultimately be saved, and your reputation and engagement will be as strong as ever – all good marks in our book.