1. What sets your agency apart from others in the market?
Answer: Most agencies have processes and pricing (20-30% of a base salary) that are NOT small-business-friendly. Having been on the other side of things in the past, partnering with a large firm for executive searches for a prior employer, our Founder Emily found their processes rigid and ineffective, and created Joyful Jobs to be fast, flexible, and affordable.
2. How do you source candidates for our specific industry or sector?
Answer: Each client gets a customized recruiting plan for the particular role we are filling. Although every search is unique, our sourcing methods generally include popular and niche job boards, obtaining referrals through our large network, and the very time-consuming but worthwhile process of scouring resume databases and inviting passive candidates to apply.
3. Can you handle both temporary and permanent staffing needs?
Answer: Yes. We generally recommend utilizing a direct hire placement service (permanent hire) when the position is mid-career-level and above and you would like to invest 2-6 weeks finding the perfect candidate. Temporary hires are best suited for entry-level, high-turnover positions that are frequently and almost immediately needed. You can have a pre-screened candidate starting work on a trial basis within 2-7 days of opening a search.
4. What measures do you take to ensure the quality of candidates?
Answer: Joyful Jobs utilizes behavioral-based interview questions, reference checks designed to verify not just work history but also work quality, rubrics and rating systems, and often skill assessments. We have high standards and our goal is to present clients with candidates who check ALL the boxes. There is transparency around our level of confidence in each candidate and any potential concerns. While no one can get it right every time, we have only had a handful of our 70+ placements in 2.5 years not work out.
5. How do you handle the pricing structure for small businesses and non-profits?
Answer: We believe in price transparency and equity, so rather than the typical percentage model that most agencies charge (which creates a conflict of interest for the agency that is earning higher commission on a higher-paid candidate), we offer flat fees for direct hire placement. Fees start at $4000 for mid-level manager roles, $8000 for Director-level searches, and $12,000 for executive positions. These fees are typically half to a quarter of what our competitors charge, and the services are all-inclusive to cover consulting on the hiring process, coordination/scheduling with any hiring managers or search committees, advertising costs, sourcing, screening, and references. Temporary hires do have a percentage markup, but we do our best to keep costs low and predictable.