Recruiter (United Kingdom) (05/24/12)

Staffing firms are the most effective way for job seekers to find employment—but only 3% of candidates seek them out as their first source for job hunting, according to the results of a new survey by ASA corporate partners CareerBuilder and Inavero. Speaking at the International Confederation of Private Employment Agencies’ World Employment Conference in London, CareerBuilder’s Eric Gilpin called on staffing firms to take advantage of “the huge opportunities” to increase awareness of their brand and services to attract job seekers to their doors. “You’re not where they start [their job search]—but you are the most effective,” said Gilpin, president of CareerBuilder’s staffing and recruiting group. Candidates who engage with staffing firms get 45% more interviews than those who do not, he noted.