Talent Acquisition: Hiring Recruiters for Your US Staffing Agency in 2022
Many companies are struggling with talent acquisition on a worldwide basis, including in the US. This is due in part to the ‘Great Resignation’ which saw a record number of people leave their job posts voluntarily last year. November 2021 saw a record 10.6 million open vacancies in the US. This tidal wave has a knock-on effect on staffing agencies that face increasing demand from their clients to source new talent.
If you are looking to grow your recruitment team, or are just new to the US staffing market, how can you ensure you hire the best internal talent? In this article we highlight a 2022 trend to consider in your talent acquisition strategy, average salaries for recruiters in key cities in the US, as well as advice if you are considering hiring at entry-level.
Candidates Have the Power
In our recent blog on US staffing trends to watch in 2022, we noted how candidates continue to hold the power and this is no different for candidates in the recruitment process. Candidates can have their pick of excess open vacancies across the US, meaning they will not settle for employers who do not best meet their needs. Here are some of the main items you should consider when hiring recruiters for your US staffing agency in 2022.
Salaries
Salaries for recruiters are increasing across the US. An analysis by Revelio Labs reported an average increase in recruiter salary by 14%. This increase is a common theme across many industries. Last year, three out of four recruiters noted candidates negotiating for higher salaries. This exemplifies how the balance of power has swung in favor of candidates.
Moreover, employers are now more likely to include salary information in online job ads. This trend did begin rather slowly in previous years but vastly increased as businesses reopened in 2021 and the demand for workers surged, resulting in an increase in competition for labor. New York recently passed a law requiring employers to post salary ranges in job adverts, adding to the number of states who have this law.
Benefits and bonuses
There was a 100% increase in job posts that advertised a sign-on bonus between the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 and October 2021. In research carried out by HR DataHub, one in five employers reported already paying a sign-on bonus to workers while 37% are considering bringing this policy in.
Candidates are less likely to accept low-quality benefits from an employer in 2022 when there is so much competition out there, they can just look elsewhere if your plan is not substantial enough. Substantial medical/dental coverage (51%) and 401(k) (41%) plans have been effective at attracting new candidates.
Employee benefit expectation surpasses financial incentives. A perk that is now more expected by candidates as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic is flexible working arrangements. In HR DataHub’s recent survey, 70% of companies indicated that they already have and promote their flexible working policy to attract new talent. Half of the respondents also claimed to use additional wellbeing benefits as part of their talent acquisition strategy.
Recruiter Base Salaries Across Different US Cities
If you are thinking about expanding to the US, it should come as little surprise to you that the location you choose to work in will have a huge impact on your operating costs. Below you can see a breakdown of the average recruiter salary in some key cities.
If you are building out your team, the data below can help you out when figuring out the specs and salaries for your internal roles in the US.
Hiring Entry-Level Candidates
Young talent may be a great option for your staffing agency. To attract qualified young professionals, you should consider advertising through universities. With so many colleges in the US, there is a large pool of talent that you can tap into. When communicating with graduates, one point you should ensure you get across is how their careers can progress. Progression is a big factor for new graduates who are ready to kickstart their careers. They want to know if they will be able to flourish and progress in their careers by joining your company.
Training and development opportunities are key to this. Check out our recent conversation with the US Head of Operations at RocSearch where he attributes their training program for entry-level consultants as one of their main factors to success. You will want to make recruitment stand out as an amazing, incentivized career to choose. But to attract qualified young professionals, you must have a visible brand.
How can staffing agencies attract students and graduates at university?
1) Print Media
A student newspaper may be a way to get student eyes on your company but do be prepared to pay, as placing advertisements have a relatively high cost. Subject to your advertising budget, other print media forms such as notice board posts may be more cost-effective.
2) Digital media
Gen Z spend a lot of time online, with various reports stating upwards of five hours each day. Therefore, your staffing agency needs to be visible online to reach this audience. Social media is a good start. Establishing a company presence on sites such as Facebook and Instagram may help students be more aware of your brand. However, it may be more important to focus on LinkedIn, a site young people are likely to be using to help promote themselves professionally. Furthermore, by creating a careers page on your company website, prospective candidates can see what type of jobs are available and get an initial impression of your company culture.
3) Events
Events such as university job fairs are a great way to meet and converse with students directly. Guest lectures also provide a great opportunity to engage with students. Alternatively, you may consider sponsoring a sporting or academic event to increase your brand awareness among the student body.
3) Internships
Internships are a popular way to build relationships with universities and prospective candidates. The average intern pay rate in the US ranges from $13-$15. According to Talent.com, Entry level intern positions can start at $23,404 per year while more experienced workers can make up to $48,263 per year. There is no standard length for internships, it is up to the discretion of the employer. The two most common contract lengths are a summer internship (10-12 weeks duration) or during a college semester (15 weeks duration).
At PGC, we have seen an uptake in 2021 of clients wanting to employ interns. If our clients are considering engaging an intern, our requirement is that they must be at least 18 years old.
Ready to Start Hiring recruiters in the US Staffing Market?
You’ve taken the first step and have decided to enter the US staffing market. Often the next step is to start building out your internal US recruitment team to help you source quality talent to make contract placements across the US. Our mission is to make it as easy as possible for you to make contract placements anywhere in the US and Canada. As we are an employer of record, we take on the employment compliance and responsibility of engaging and managing contract workers so you can concentrate on building your business.
Not only that, but we can help you when hiring recruiters in the US. All you have to do is find the talent, and as your employer of record, we will manage payroll, taxes, insurances, benefits, contracts, employment compliance in any state, and day-to-day HR issues for your internal employees. Book a strategy session with one of our experts if you want to find out more about navigating the US staffing market.