With competition for top software developer talent growing fiercer all the time, you might consider using a local IT staffing agency to streamline your search. Local staffing agencies often excel at some aspects of recruiting, but using them comes with at least one important caveat. Let’s take a quick look at some pros and cons of going local:
Local IT Staffing Agencies Know Their Communities
Local IT staffing agencies not only know about a candidate’s tech credentials, but also what they’re like in person and how they work. This knowledge allows agencies to place talent in positions that might, on paper, seem outside of their main or past competencies. A candidate who is extra-energetic and performs well in startup environments, for example, could be a better fit for some companies than someone with decades-long technical proficiency in the skills those companies need, but who works best in a standard 9-to-5 environment.
Local agencies acquire this detailed knowledge of candidates in a number of ways, such as by frequenting networking events, conferences and job fairs. This is especially true in cities that are hubs for technology companies. Staffing agencies send representatives to these events to discover the inside scoop about which IT pros are best for which types of jobs. Getting the chance to meet candidates personally in an informal setting allows agencies to screen them for cultural fit, which is as important as—or even more important than—a candidate’s skill set. Relying on the knowledge of a local staffing agency to find talent is one way to get the right match for your team and workflow.
Local Agencies Offer Personalized, Responsive Service
Since they’re physically close to your company, local IT staffing agencies can often give your company highly responsive and personalized attention, including on-site visits to see your operations firsthand. This can give them an excellent sense of your company’s working environment, which helps them find candidates who will thrive in it.
A local agency focused on your company’s specific needs sounds like an unalloyed benefit. However, even the best customer service can’t compensate for IT talent that underperforms. If the right people for the job aren’t in your area, even the best available local options will be a compromise. This leads us to the main caveat with using local IT staffing agencies in your talent search.
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Local Searches Will Limit Your Candidate Pool
Although using a local IT staffing agency can be a good option, their talent pool will be most likely limited to that city or area. You might get the best local person for the job, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting the best overall candidate. This is where using a staffing agency with both local and global connections can make sense. iTech’s talent pool, for instance, is global, which means you’re not just getting the best candidate in the immediate area—you’re getting the best candidate for the job, period.
At iTech, we specialize in IT consulting and temporary IT staffing. iTech operates out of Dallas, but we have locations worldwide, and we know a great deal about operating within a given community. Regardless of your location, we invite you to contact us to learn more about how we can help you find IT staff that will suit your company and its needs.