Clarifying Confusing Employment Terms
Over the past couple of years, there’s been a trend toward simplicity and paring down. This is evidenced in the search to buy smaller homes, create capsule wardrobes and choosing the purchase of experiences over more products. Yet despite this, things like technology, company consolidations and evolving terminology often continue to complicate things more than any of us want or need.
Getting to the Basics
This element of unnecessary complication and resulting confusion is also evident within the staffing and recruitment industry. While the terms are often used interchangeably, there are important differences that demand review and understanding, particularly when it comes to hiring the right employment agency to handle staffing and recruitment needs.
Recruitment – a process taking a finite amount of time, defining most important skills needed for the role, including education, past/present experience, qualifications, background check, placement, and organizational screening.
Staffing – an ongoing process benefitting candidates and clients including skill identification, measuring task competency, making promotions, demotions, staff termination and performance appraisals; and the identification of key players.
Multi-Dimensional Support
A qualified employment agency can provide short and long-term recruitment as well as on-going staffing assistance. The foundational talent acquisition is built around a multi-organization method designed to look out for the wants and needs of employer clients and individual job candidates. Employment agencies provide a critical bridge, matching up distinct job requirements, company culture and unique personality and skill sets with the right employer and organization.
Changing Labels
Further adding to the confusion are the changing labels within the staffing and recruitment industries around the terminology of temp, temp-to-hire and permanent. Often a distinction of semantics, these once straightforward terms now create another element of confusion.
Staffing Quick List
Temporary or Contract – an assignment with an allotted time, could include vacation coverage, sick leave, maternity leave or special projects.
Temporary or Contract-to-Hire – a “try before you buy” concept placing a candidate on a staffing firms’ payroll for a certain number of hours. Successful candidates can roll onto the client/company’s payroll.
Direct Hire – where a staffing firm recruits on behalf of a company. After the offer, a candidate starts work on the companies’ payroll. A direct hire is never on the payroll of the staffing firm.
1099 – is like a consulting position where a company pays a fee for work done. The individual receives a 1099 from and is responsible for paying his or her own taxes. The contracting employer does not remove taxes from the paycheck.
When in Doubt
Few things in the employment world remain static. If you have questions, please ask one of the employment experts at Staffing Kansas City. As a full-service Kansas City employment agency, Staffing Kansas City offers candidates and clients help with temporary and permanent employment placement for secretarial, clerical, sales, accounting and customer service positions. When in doubt, ask Kansas City’s preferred employment services partner. We are here to help!
This article is brought to you by Staffing Kansas City, a full-service Kansas City employment agency that provides contract-to-hire, direct hire and temporary employment placement services.
