How to Answer: How does a staffing agency charge a job seeker for their services?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Staffing Agencies job interview.
3. How does a staffing agency charge a job seeker for their services?
How to Answer
This one may be a trick question! Legitimate staffing agencies never charge job seekers for placement services. That's right; every placement fee paid to a staffing agency is from the hiring company.
In many countries, such as Canada, it is illegal for a recruitment or staffing agency to charge candidates for job placements. These regulations do not include fees for resume writing or career coaching, for instance. The bottom line is, a job seeker never pays money to be considered for an open position with a staffing agency or their clients.
1st Answer Example
"All placement fees are paid for by the client, rather than the candidate. In my current agency, we charge the client between 18-25% of the candidates' first years' salary. This fee structure means that if the candidates agreed upon salary is $100K, then our fee would be $18-25K; never paid for by the candidate. I understand that different regions have various fee structures. However, I believe that a client should always pay the agency placement fee. No financial burden should fall on the job seeker."
2nd Answer Example
"Placement fees are paid to a staffing agency when they successfully place a job seeker in a new role with their client. Fee percentages vary; however, an agency should always invoice the hiring company. A candidate may pay for assistance such as resume writing or career coaching; however, they do not pay the employment placement fee."