Temp agencies are an excellent opportunity to find employees who can fill jobs quickly, while meeting the needs of the unemployed. When you are selecting temporary employees, there are several demographics you should not overlook.

Long-Term Unemployed

Unfortunately, even being unemployed for a matter of months can make it difficult to land the next job, especially when seeking full-time work. It follows that the longer someone has been unemployed, the harder it will be for them to find a job. When looking for temporary employees, avoid overlooking people who are considered to be long-term unemployed, especially those who have lost a job they had for several years or ones who could not find a job immediately out of college. Even a temporary job can look good on their resume, and they may be more consistent and responsible than someone who simply skips from job to job but does not have lengthy episodes of unemployment.

Older Employees

Even though it is illegal to discriminate based on age, older applicants generally face harder times with employment. Often this boils down to stereotypes about older workers being inefficient or beliefs they cannot adapt to new technology. Generally, older employees are more reliable than their younger counterparts. Since many older adults need to live on a fixed income or were forced into an early retirement after decades at the same job, there are more older adults who may need to supplement their income to make ends meet. Temp agencies are the perfect environment for older adults to have a chance to showcase skills that might be applicable to numerous work environments if given the chance.

Full-Time Parents

Full-time parents can face similar struggles as those who are long-term unemployed, although being a homemaker and parent is a unique job. Often employers neglect to realize how being a full-time parent can translate into being a good employee. In some cases, full-time parents may have experience doing various tasks as an independent contractor, but it is difficult to add these items to a resume since they do not have an employer. Furthermore, much of the patience and diligence necessary to be a full-time parent can be excellent qualities in a reliable employee. Other qualities, such as managing finances and organization can work well in office environments.

When you are looking for employees through a temp agency, take into consideration groups of people who might be overlooked by other employers. There are many qualities and skills that my not be directly applicable to your company but can make someone a high-quality employee.

For more information or advice, contact a business such as Bishop & Company Inc.