Staffing agencies play a central role in corporate recruiting by connecting employers with qualified candidates, managing sourcing and screening, and reducing the time and cost of filling open positions. Many human resource (HR) managers rely on staffing agencies to supplement their internal recruiting capacity, particularly when demand surges or specialized skill sets are difficult to find.
The online Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a specialization in Human Resource Management program from St. Thomas University (STU) prepares graduates to navigate a range of challenges in hiring, corporate recruiting and workforce planning. According to a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) report, recruiting ranked as the top priority for HR professionals in 2024, yet only 56% rated their organization’s recruiting efforts as effective. MBA-trained HR leaders can close this gap through strategies like leveraging staffing agencies.
How Do Staffing Agencies Support the Hiring Process?
Staffing agencies recruit potential employees by pairing candidates to the position that best suits their skill set. The agency searches its database for potential hires, combs through professional networks, writes a formal job description and advertises the position. Some agencies use social media and applicant tracking systems to reach qualified candidates. Job seekers can also find openings on the agency’s website, through social media posts or via professional networks, and some agencies offer virtual meetings to assess candidate qualifications.
The staffing agency’s recruiters review the applicant’s skills and experience to determine their fit for the role. Candidates can also receive feedback from the staffing agency to increase their chances of getting hired. The agency recruiters screen applicants who have potential before passing off the formal interview process to the company. The company’s hiring staff ultimately makes the final decision about who is hired, completing a process that can save time for both employer and applicant.
How Do Staffing Agencies Screen and Assess Candidates?
Staffing agencies apply recruiting best practices to evaluate candidates efficiently, including skills assessments, structured screening interviews and reference checks. Growing hiring complexity pushes many agencies toward skills-based hiring, evaluating candidates on demonstrated abilities and experience rather than credentials alone. This approach helps employers access a broader pool of qualified candidates while reducing time-to-fill for open roles.
To address the challenges HR managers face in finding the right people for a job opening, it helps to work with staffing agencies that specialize in the relevant field or industry. In addition to acting as coach, business strategist, employee advocate and recruiter, HR managers face evolving demands in workforce and succession planning, training and career development. Specialized staffing agencies reduce an HR department’s time-intensive talent acquisition processes, freeing HR managers to focus more on high-value strategic tasks.
Candidate assessment, hiring, recruiting, training, development and retention now involve using AI-powered tools, digital assessment platforms and new strategies for remote work hiring. Staffing agencies can provide these tools and the expertise to leverage them efficiently, further alleviating the workload of HR management.
How an MBA in Human Resource Management Can Help
An MBA in HR Management builds the strategic foundation to lead recruiting initiatives, evaluate staffing agency partnerships and drive organizational growth. The curriculum covers organizational crisis management, employment and labor law, change management and more, equipping graduates with the skills they need to adapt and thrive as workforce demands evolve.
The 100% online STU program is designed for working professionals and can be completed in as few as 12 months. For HR professionals ready to take on greater responsibility in hiring, talent strategy and workforce planning, the degree offers a direct path forward.
Learn more about STU’s online MBA with a specialization in Human Resource Management program.
