The Role of a Skilled Trades Staffing Agency in Finding Top Talent and Jobs

Illustration of wooden cutout figures standing on arrows, with one figure using a telescope. Text reads "Top Skilled Workers." Trade Management logo appears in the top right corner.

Hiring can be a heavy lift — for employers and job seekers alike. From piles of paperwork to weeks spent searching for the right fit, the hiring process can drain your team’s time and energy. Conversely, job seekers — especially in the skilled trades — may face barriers like limited access to resources, lack of connections, or uncertain job stability. Fortunately, there is one proven solution that benefits both sides of the equation: staffing agencies. Whether you are an employer trying to fill roles quickly or a trades person looking for your next fantastic opportunity, a staffing agency can be your most valuable partner. Here’s how:

For Employers: The Advantages of Partnering with a Staffing Agency

1. Access to a Wider Pool of Talent

According to recent reporting, 77% of U.S. employers struggle to fill roles — especially in skilled trades. Staffing agencies offer access to prescreened candidates across multiple trades, from welders to electricians, helping you connect with talent that is not always visible through online job boards.

2. Reduced Time to Hire

It takes an average of 35 days to fill a role in the U.S. In fast-moving industries like construction or manufacturing, time is money. Staffing firms drastically reduce this time by handling sourcing, screening, and initial interviews, so your team can focus on productivity — not paperwork.

3. Pre-Screening and Skill Matching

Recruiters vet candidates for job-specific skills, safety certifications (like OSHA 10/30), and relevant experience. That means only the most qualified individuals make it to your team.

4. Industry Insight and Salary Benchmarking

Staffing agencies understand the going rates in your industry and help you build competitive offers — making it easier to land and keep top-tier talent.

5. Negotiation & Compliance Support

They also assist with contracts, wage negotiation, and labor law compliance — especially valuable for short-term or high-risk skilled work.

6. Flexible Hiring for Changing Workloads

Seasonal spikes or employee absences? Staffing agencies can supply temporary, contract, or temp-to-hire workers quickly, helping your business stay on track without long-term commitments.

For Job Seekers: How Staffing Agencies Support Career Growth

1. Access to Hidden Opportunities

Companies do not post an estimated 80% of available jobs online. Many employers fill roles exclusively through agencies, giving job seekers access to more — and often better — opportunities.

2. Resume Help and Interview Coaching

Recruiters help you highlight your skills, certifications, and experience effectively. Many even offer interview prep tailored to trade positions.

3. Industry Connections That Open Doors

Staffing agencies work with a wide network of contractors and employers. Therefore, you do not have to job-hunt alone — someone is already advocating for your next role.

4. Career Development Support

Some agencies offer access to training, safety certifications, and career planning advice — helping workers level up their skills and income over time.

A Win-Win Solution

Whether you are an employer or a job seeker, a skilled trades staffing agency offers a smart, strategic way to meet your hiring or career goals. From streamlining your search to connecting with qualified tradespeople, the right agency can be your competitive edge. Partner with Trade Management today and turn your hiring or job search into a long-term success story.

Happy New Year!

We’re officially 4 days into 2021. While it may still feel like the same winter we had only a week ago, we’ve entered into a new month, a new year, and a new opportunity to rebound from the impact 2020 had on all of us. If you haven’t already, now is the time to begin looking forward and letting the hardships of last year serve only as a reminder of what we can overcome.

Economic forecasts predict improvements in non-farm payroll employment of approximately 600,000 new jobs each month. By the fourth quarter of the year, household employment is projected to recover to 148 million. There are industries that are expected to continue to recover more slowly, such as food service and hospitality, but others including delivery and warehouses and those tied to e-commerce will continue to grow at a fast pace to meet the continuously increasing demand of online shopping and contactless purchasing. Additionally, if the vaccines work, we can expect the labor market to heal rapidly this year.

We all have optimistic hopes that this year will be vastly different from last. Some of the factors are well outside of our control, but plenty are still within. Go into the year with positivity and a spirit of accomplishment and tenacity and let’s all see a productive and economically strong 2021. Contact us at sales@peoplelinkgroup.com for all of your 2021 workforce needs!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

2021, the dream we have all been waiting for is now in sight! Christmas is only a few days away. The approach of the 2020 holiday season has young and old equally excited for a new year to begin.

While COVID is unfortunately still here, we have many gifts for which we can be thankful. In a remarkably short time, the medical community has delivered a vaccine to the general public. We are seeing more signs of stability in the economy with the stock market rallying sharply in recent weeks. Unemployment continues to wane and many companies are reopening. The US Labor Force Participation Rate has significant room for improvement, but we are still seeing progress. According to a recent American Staffing Association article, 80% of job candidates, both active and passive, foresee working for a new company in the next 12 months even despite the economic uncertainty created by the pandemic. In addition to this, 1 in 3 candidates are more open to working as a temporary employee through a staffing agency. Undoubtedly fueled by the astronomically high unemployment rates we’ve seen this year, 66% of respondents for the article said that looking for a job is more stressful than planning a wedding. 59% said it was more stressful than the birth of a child and 25% and 24% said it was more stressful than the death of a loved one or financial concerns related to COVID-19, respectively.

Confusion and concern abound amongst unemployed individuals and those considering changing employers. Even the most talented candidates may burn out before finding the next career opportunity due to the stress of job hunting. As a respected staffing provider, Peoplelink provides candidates with guidance navigating the challenging application process. We can help you tap into a skilled candidate pool with which you may not otherwise connect. As professionals in the staffing industry for over 30 years, our tried-and-true methodology for screening candidates gives you access to the highest quality talent. Partner with us to achieve your optimal workforce. Call us at 817-684-8022 or submit your information through our website.

Creating and Onboarding a Remote Workforce

Why is it important?

If 2020 has taught us anything in the staffing world, it’s that we must find a new way of doing business. This includes getting creative in how we partner with our clients and engage with our talent. The global pandemic became “real” for us all in March of 2020. Organizations that were able to pivot to a remote workforce quickly and effectively were able to stay ahead of the current and set themselves up for a period of sustained growth.

One of the unintended benefits that has come from this terrible pandemic has been an awareness that new ways of delivering business results, no matter the industry, is essential. Organizations that were previously hesitant to entertain a remote workforce now realize it is a viable alternative to remain competitive in the race for talent. According to Stanford Research, an incredible 42% of the U.S. labor force was working from home full-time by June. Even by August, the fraction of entirely home-based work, despite a slight decline relative to earlier in the pandemic, remained very high at 20.3%, according to the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank.

What are potential wins for organizations that are able to make the right pivot? When physical geography is de-emphasized due to remote work capability, there is access to a more diverse workforce in greater supply. Kate Lister, President of Global Workplace Analytics, touts that an estimated 25-30% of the workforce will be working from home multiple days a week by the end of 2021. In keeping up with this plunge, people become the peak differentiator of every industry. Greater diversity creates ideas that spur growth. Teams are more effectively engaged. Expensive, unwanted turnover rates drop significantly. Your employees and your business collectively experience a win/win.

Having proven, repeatable onboarding steps is essential for riding the long-term wave of a successful remote work arrangement. Throughout the recruiting process, candidates form impressions quickly that are crucial for a long-term employment partnership.

What are the crucial steps to successfully onboard a new candidate?

1) Ensure that all necessary equipment is delivered early. Too often, candidates are stressed the week before starting a new position because they are unsure how to perform their job duties. An important unknown to remove is the physical equipment necessary. Make sure that new resources have the necessary setup at home. IT equipment should be delivered with enough time to test access to all applications that the candidate needs to perform their duties. The Friday before the start date is too late.

Gather requirements with the candidate on what they need to be successful. Would they benefit from a second monitor? Is their email set up correctly? Do they have access to all the appropriate applications? Are their security protocols configured? Do they know who to turn to if they have issues? What types of communication are used to interact with leadership and teammates?

This is one of the greatest areas of uncertainty that can provide a negative initial impression for a candidate. On the bright side, it is also one that can be easily eliminated through a well-designed, repeatable process that ensures everyone is operating on the same wavelength.

2) Communication of the organization’s mission, vision, and values during the recruitment process. One of the keys to a successful remote engagement is to recruit to an organization’s mission, vision, and values. Inherently, leaders are placing an increased trust in remote workers due to lack of direct oversight. Identifying candidates that fit from a values perspective is crucial. In addition, a candidate must be propelled by the mission and vision of an organization and be able to identify with that “why” factor!

3) A clearly defined, pre-communicated schedule for the first week. This is another often over-looked aspect of onboarding. Everyone that starts a new job is dealing with some level of anxiety, much of which is caused by the unknown of what they will be doing while they initially settle in. A simple step to take during the onboarding process is to set up a time to go over the first week in detail. Lay out a calendar that can be given to the candidate so they can prepare their thoughts ahead of time. Knowing what the first week looks like from a schedule perspective eliminates much of the unknown and reduces the ramp up period, ultimately saving both time and money!

4) 30-60-90 day expectations laid out during the onboarding process. As mentioned in the previous point, every candidate has anxiety stepping into a new role. Too often, we forget what that feels like. Another key action to minimize this anxiety is to provide absolute clarity in the expectations of the candidate. Successful leaders go so far as to spell out these expectations in offer letters! If a new employee can step into a role knowing what is expected of them, they can plan and be set up to succeed. Unclear expectations lead to disengaged employees and some of that expensive, unwanted turnover.

5) Build trust. This point cannot be understated. Trust is at the crest of building a high-functioning team. There are several tactics for building a trusting culture:

a. Introduce the new employee to the team ASAP. Don’t make the initial intro about work. Make this intro about getting to know each other on a personal level by having every individual on the team share something about themselves. This tactic is not a box to be checked once – it must be repeated consistently. Continue to start all team meetings with a “get to know you” exercise. Make some fun and light-hearted. Make some serious to understand the why behind each individual.
b. Provide collaboration opportunities. Actively schedule opportunities for the new employee to collaborate with different members of the team. One of the quickest ways to shorten the ramp up period and establish long-term engagement is to provide opportunities to accomplish a task together with a teammate. Emotional connections are established through joint success that will keep the workplace current flowing strong.
c. Focus on the culture. The first step here is to be aware of what the impression is of your current culture. Next, envision what you want your ideal culture to look like and onboard with those goals in mind. Communicate the vision for that culture consistently and be sure to demonstrate those values in all interactions.
d. Engagement is critical. A remote candidate is at an increased risk of disengagement when they are isolated and new to the team. Go above and beyond to engage with the new resource and be sure to include them in all appropriate meetings. Use video for the majority of interactions – with the camera on! Set that expectation immediately so that no one shies away.

Remember that people are typically our most valuable resource and turnover is costly in every aspect. Navigating the ocean of remote onboarding is difficult, but having a repeatable process focused on the areas above can ensure that no one gets caught in the undertow. Working together, we can use these strategies to differentiate an organization in an ever flowing and very competitive employment marketplace! Please reach for us at sales@peoplelinkgroup.com.

Giving Thanks

The end of the year is a time traditionally reserved for gathering as family and friends, celebrating togetherness and relationships, and ushering in a new year with excitement and joy. People will remember 2020 as a year of interrupted traditions, adjusted plans, and postponed gatherings, all for the sake of protecting the very loved ones we may not get to see. While tensions have been high and general stress and anxiety a daily concern, how we close out this year is ultimately up to us.

Despite difficulties, in the remaining weeks of the year, we can reflect on our many blessings – supportive friendships, socially distanced walks and talks, and valuable technology making it possible to connect with those closest to us via calls and video chats. Most of all, we can be thankful for a light at the end of the tunnel. We have weathered the storm and are emerging stronger than ever.

We must remain hopeful. This will not last forever. If this year has taught us anything, it is that we are both flexible and resilient. We have changed many aspects of our lives to keep ourselves and others healthy. We are vigilant about hand washing and sanitizing, wearing a mask, and maintaining social distancing whether in the workplace or in public. We have proven that we can face an unprecedented challenge head-on and not let it get the better of us.

We close out 2020 proudly, thankful for the acts of bravery and kindness we’ve witnessed. Grateful for our friends and family, we face 2021 with optimism, knowing even in times of difficulty we will persevere. We look forward to working together with you in 2021. Please reach for us at sales@peoplelinkgroup.com.