How to Start a Staffing Business at Home

Starting a staffing company at home is both challenging and rewarding.

Running a staffing company from your home can be challenging and rewarding. A staffing company manager is an entrepreneur, a salesperson, a recruiter, a consultant and a career coach all at the same time. Managing all of these roles from your home requires perfecting the art of time management.

Things You'll Need

• Business license
• Computer with high-speed Internet access
• Desk
• Phone with unlimited long-distance service
• All-in-one printer/copier/fax
• Thank-you cards

Instructions

Getting Started

1. Research your industry and find your niche. Successful staffing companies focus on doing one thing right, and expand as their business grows.

2. Research the advantages of a sole proprietorship, a limited liability company and a corporation and choose the one that will best fit your needs.

3. Acquire any permits or licensing required in your location. Local universities and small business resource centers can point you in the right direction.

4. Draft your business plan. Determine your rates and guarantee period. Include any contracts you plan to use with your clients or candidates in your business plan.

5. Set up your home office. At a minimum, you will need a computer with high-speed Internet access, a desk, a quality phone with unlimited long-distance service, and a printer with fax and copy abilities.

Acquire Clients

1. Research companies that may hire in your niche. Make a list of the top 100 companies you want as clients. Do not discount smaller companies, as they are often easier to get established with as you get started.

2. Break your top 100 list into groups of ten. Attempt to make contact with one group per day. Take notes during your conversations and avoid high-pressure sales.

3. Negotiate contracts before you begin a search. Never send resumes or candidate information without a signed contract in hand. Get details about the company, the department and the position before you start searching.

4. Send thank-you cards via mail to each person you speak with. Include a business card so they can contact you when they need your services.

5. Write a formal search plan for each job detailing how you will conduct your search, the requirements for the position and how the hiring process will work. Get this signed by your client so expectations are clear.

Source Candidates

1. Place help-wanted listings on job boards and classified employment websites. Never disclose your client's name until you have interviewed the candidate and sent a resume to your client, as this could result in the candidate bypassing your services.

2. Cold-call other companies that are in your niche. Find other employees with the same title as the open position, and see who they know that might be looking for work.

3. Interview your candidates thoroughly. Be honest with your candidates, as highlighting only the positives will create false expectations that lead to turnover.

4. Coach your candidates on how to dress, interview and sell themselves to your client.

5. Close the deal and handle any negotiations that need to take place. Remember that the deal is not closed, nor is your work done, until the guarantee period has passed.