In today's employment marketplace, identifying an excellent staffing or consulting firm can be very important in locating viable full-time or consulting opportunities. Ideally, you want to identify a firm that has a proven track record in the marketplace and a consistent record of ethical practices. Feeling a bit like the costumed magician on television that reveals the secrets of magic tricks, the following are some suggestions for what to look for in selecting an appropriate firm to work with:

Reputation, reputation, reputation:
Word of mouth really does go a long way. Ask around and get recommendations from other people in the field that you respect on firms that they have worked with successfully. Make sure that these experiences are current as business practices, financial stability, and management teams can change over time.

Focus and specialization:
Wherever possible, attempt to align yourself with staffing and consulting firms that truly understand your career specialization. These firms should be able to quickly list the professional societies and associations that they participate in and their understanding and expertise in your industry. Over time, these firms will generally produce more positive results and be able to provide more grounded career advice.

Check on the firms' payment policies:
Any firm that has extended payment terms for consultants probably has some financial difficulty. While almost every company will look to extend payment terms to ease their cash flow, payment should never exceed three weeks. Be wary of firms that do not offer direct deposit - this may be another sign of poor cash flow.

Ask about the margin:
Many firms will not disclose the amount that they charge their clients, but some will. A gross margin of 20-30% is generally considered to be standard although firms may be entitled to a larger profit margin in situations where they are assuming a large percentage of the risk of a project.

No meeting - little chance:
Be very wary of any firm that attempts to transact with you without an in-person interview. The exception here is in situations where there are geographical issues that make this difficult. It is virtually impossible to gain a true indication of a candidate or consultant without meeting in-person. Feel free to ask the firm for references of other professionals that they have successfully supported. Your ability to assess the firm will also be greatly aided by the meeting.

Who works for whom:
When push comes to shove, staffing firms are paid by the client company. This is a fact that should never be forgotten. Ethical firms are able to balance this fact with the concerns that they have for a candidate's career. But there are firms out there that will do whatever it takes to close a sale. Listen during your in-person meeting. Do they express an interest in your career goals and aspirations? Are there other signs that they are truly interested in your ongoing career development and satisfaction? These are good indicators of the firms' objectives and your resulting experience with the firm. Remember that you need to maintain control over your job search. All presentations of your credentials and resume to a prospective client should require your pre-approval. You should serve as the clearinghouse of all resume submissions and you need to do a good job of keeping track of the firms presenting you to the various opportunities in addition to your own job search activities. If the firm will not agree to this, you will have a problem some day down the line. Also, any alterations to your resume should be reviewed prior to being submitted to a prospective client.

Ultimately, trust your gut instinct:
After your meeting, do a quick inventory. Did the representative of the firm seem to understand you and your goals? Were their questions appropriate? Were there things that should have been asked that were not? Did they appear to have a solid grasp of the marketplace and issues impacting your industry? Are their operating methods consistent with how you would like to be treated? Do they keep their word? Do they send the follow-up email or make the follow-up call as promised? Do you think that this person can effectively represent you in the marketplace? Ultimately, does the firm express an interest in establishing a long-term relationship that can span your entire career or do their interests appear focused on a specific job?

Wise decisions regarding your selection of the staffing and consulting firms to partner with can pay huge dividends resulting in ongoing career advancement. Remember that it is your responsibility to set the terms and conditions for working with these firms and to maintain control over your job search.

2001 Ross Squire. Printed with Permission.

About the Author
Ross Squire is the President of KnowledgeStaff. Ross has been involved in the learning and content design and delivery industry for close to twenty years. At various points in his career, Ross has been responsible for overseeing Marketing, Sales, Client Services, Project Direction, and Recruitment operations. Ross is a frequent speaker and author on topics related to career development, instructional technology, and technical writing industries.