FACT: It’s easier to change reality than perception.
Let that statement sink in for a minute.
I can’t recall who taught this to me, but it is 100% true.
In fact, what people perceive is their reality (just look at social media). If you want to change someone’s perception, it’s far easier to start from a new reality.
So, what do does this have to do with staffing, recruiting, and marketing?
Let me ask you two fundamental questions:
1) How do employers perceive staffing agencies?
2) How to job seekers perceive staffing…if they perceive it at all?
Is it time to change your reality?
Just for fun, I Googled “How do employers perceive staffing agencies.”
Of course, the first response was the AI overview:
Employers often see staffing agencies as valuable partners in streamlining the hiring process, especially when facing a competitive job market and needing to fill positions quickly. Staffing agencies provide access to a broader pool of candidates, reduce the time and resources spent on recruitment, and can offer specialized expertise in identifying and vetting talent.
However, some employers may perceive staffing agencies as a cost-intensive option or may have concerns about agency fees and the potential for conflicts of interest
Okay, that’s not bad. Not perfect, but not bad.
Then I kept scrolling down the page…
From Reddit: Are staffing agencies legitimately helpful? (this was actually more of a job seeker post)
In the “People also ask” box:
- Why do staffing agencies have a bad reputation?
- Are staffing agencies still relevant?
- Is it worth using a staffing agency to find a job?
Yikes!
These page one responses on Google are definitely not the glowing endorsements of the staffing industry you’d like to see.
FYI. For comparison, I googled “How do employers perceive management consulting firms” and the response was WAY more positive.
How do you want to be seen?
This is the fundamental question every staffing CEO needs to ask their leadership team.
This question defines your positioning in the market.
It sets the baseline for how people perceive your company.
So, do you want to be seen as a staffing agency?
Maybe.
Being seeing as a staffing agency has its advantages. The biggest advantage is that people instantly know what you do—and why they might need your services.
But positioning yourself as a staffing agency also comes with a lot of baggage—all those negative perceptions (and misperceptions) about the staffing industry.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, being seen as a staffing agency commoditizes your services.
Sadly, when many people think about staffing, their gut reaction is that “all staffing firms are alike.” So, if your positioning is “staffing agency,” you’re making it harder to stand out…and harder to sell.
Should you be seen as something other than a staffing agency?
Again, maybe.
When you choose positioning that's outside what people expect, it helps you differentiate your services…that’s good.
But it’s also a challenge. When people don’t instantly understand your positioning, you have to explain it to them. And before you can do that, you have to get their attention. You have to create interest in the value you can offer. And you have to get them to want to talk to you. That’s hard.
Maybe you can change reality.
When companies like Accenture sell their services to Fortune 500 companies, do they say that they are in the staffing industry?
Of course not.
Accenture is a consulting company that provides high level expertise and project solutions to help companies “reinvent their businesses.”
But what do management consulting companies really do?
They provide people to fill a role for a project. That’s staffing!
So, if you want to eliminate the negative perceptions of staffing, step one is to rethink your reality.
- What business are you in?
- What services do you really offer?
- What value do you provide?
Accenture is a consulting company that helps businesses reinvent themselves.
UpWork is a marketplace for work.
Korn Ferry is an organizational consulting firm that helps companies unleash their potential.
These are all staffing (and recruiting) companies that do not look or sound like staffing and recruiting companies.
How about you? Are you a…
- Workforce solutions company?
- Project solutions company?
- Total talent management company?
Or something completely different?
If you don’t want people to perceive you as a staffing company, it maybe time to change your reality! |
