How do you onboard a contractor?

Before they arrive, arrange for orientation paperwork such as the I-9, W-4, or W-9. You may also want an employee handbook for contract workers, along with any benefits information. Also, set up team introductions, share the company vision, and then begin with specific training on the tasks that are needed.

What is contractor onboarding?

This is the process for temporary employees, contract workers, and freelancers to get acclimated to your company, culture, and priorities. It should cover the tasks they will be working on in addition to access to software, compensation paperwork, and other considerations to help them do their job well.

Is onboarding important for staffing and contract employees?

Onboarding helps improve employee retention . Gallup cites SHRM, the society for human resource management, on the statistic that employee turnover can be as much as 50% in the first 18 months. It’s important for your contract employees to get a glimpse of your culture and priorities so they can be productive while working for your company.

Are staffing agencies worth it?

Staffing agencies are all different. They can specialize in certain placements, such as tech or medical or general office. They can focus on direct placements or short-term projects or some combination of both. They have the potential to save you time and money during the hiring process. It all depends on the agency you use, their past history of success, and if they attract the type of contractors you need.

What are the benefits of staffing agencies?

Staffing agencies provide short-term and seasonal work to lessen the burden of employing full-time workers who may only be needed for a few short months. Staffing agencies also mitigate the risk of making a bad hire, and gives you greater access to talent, allowing you to fill positions faster.

What are the cons of staffing agencies?

When you use a staffing agency, the incoming contract worker may not fit your company culture, and very often, no one has spoken to the candidate before they appear for work. Companies often do not know the full work background of a staffing employee. And because of the short-term nature of staffing, the training may be incomplete.

What questions should I ask when choosing a staffing agency?

Ask about their experience, interview-to-hire ratio, their certifications and their onboarding process. Ask for any referrals or case studies from other clients to judge the staffing agency.

How can you review the staffing agency’s record with previous clients?

If you ask the agency, they will refer you to testimonials on their website—which they have already curated—or put you in touch with a previous client that they know had a fantastic result. This can be helpful, but you may also want to contact those past clients directly. Sites like Glassdoor, TrustRadius, or other review sites, like Best Staffing Agencies , may also help.

Find the best staffing agency in Los Angeles

There are more than 20,000 staffing agencies in the United States. We've developed a free ranking algorithm to grade staffing agencies on a wide set of factors. You'll find the very best staffing agency in Los Angeles to help you, and reduce your risk of an unsuccessful hire.

The Top 11 Staffing Agencies in Los Angeles in 2024

Staffing companies are intermediaries that help find potential employees and match them to the needs of your business. Los Angeles staffing agencies are exceptionally flexible thanks to the city’s size, although many companies specialize in specific areas.

Most employment agencies Los Angeles companies work with specialize in providing temporary employees, rather than finding permanent help. This makes them particularly useful when you need someone with specialized skills on short notice.

Below, you will find the top staffing agencies for your hiring needs across the Greater Los Angeles area.

1. Toptal

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Toptal boasts a wide array of the industry’s elite tech and business talent, but it is unlike many other staffing agencies. Most of their talent work remotely from across the world. Initially conceived as freelance marketplace, Toptal has evolved as a preferred staffing destination for leading Fortune 500 companies to bring in the very best. Toptal began with only tech experts, but, over the years, they expanded their network to include finance experts, designers, and more. Companies are paired with a talent matcher who then finds the best talent for that company, working on hourly, part-time, or full-time contracts.

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YEAR OF FOUNDATION:

2010

CEO:

Taso Du Val

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Served Regions:

Global

2. Robert Half

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Robert Half offers businesses a full spectrum of specialized staffing and consulting solutions. They also help candidates find career opportunities where they can fit and thrive.
The company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: RHI) and is a member of the S&P 500 index. It has been recognized nationally for its work.

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YEAR OF FOUNDATION:

1948

CEO:

Harold Messmer Jr

Areas of specialities:

General

Served Regions:

Global

3. Aerotek

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Aerotek began as an engineering staffing solution for aerospace and defense industries. These roots are what gave the company its name. Aerotek is ranked as one of the largest staffing firms in the U.S. for engineering and clinical/scientific industries. Staffing Industry Analysts has named Aerotek as one of the largest staffing firms for accounting and financing.

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YEAR OF FOUNDATION:

1983

CEO:

Todd M. Mohr

Areas of specialities:

General

Served Regions:

Global

4. Snelling Staffing Services

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Since 1951, Snelling has offered innovative staffing and recruitment solutions. Their commitment to both client and candidate success is the driving force behind their longevity. By combining award-winning history with industry-leading technology, their experts have what it takes to solve your complex staffing challenges.

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YEAR OF FOUNDATION:

1951

CEO:

Lee Elkinson

Areas of specialities:

Healthcare, Human Resources

Served Regions:

U.S.-only

5. Insight Global

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Insight Global is a premier provider of employment and staffing solutions to several Fortune 1000 customers across the United States and Canada. They provide long-term contracts, short-term contracts, temporary-to-permanent, direct placement, and enhanced staffing services.
Insight Global specializes in placing contract job seekers into information technology, accounting and finance, engineering (non-IT), and government jobs. Since their inception in 2001, they have experienced growth within their industry, rapidly expanding from an Atlanta-based start-up to one of the most successful staffing firms in America.

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YEAR OF FOUNDATION:

2001

CEO:

Bert Bean

Areas of specialities:

General

Served Regions:

Global

6. AppleOne Employment Services

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Part of the ActOne Family of Companies, AppleOne Employment Services has serviced the Federal Government including direct with FEMA. Recently, they formed a new corporation ActOne Government Solutions Inc. to specifically serve the Federal government contracts. AppleOne’s CEO, Janice Bryant Howroyd, was a White House appointee selected by former President Barack Obama.

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YEAR OF FOUNDATION:

1964

CEO:

Janice Bryant Howroyd

Areas of specialities:

General

Served Regions:

U.S.-only

7. Aquent

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Aquent is known for assisting some of the world’s largest, most innovative brands and is a team ready to tackle any challenge with speed and determination. They work diligently to understand your specific goals and to help you hire permanent, temp to perm, freelance, embedded, or outsourced help that delivers breakthrough customer experience.
By aligning their account services team by industry, Aquent delivers quick, effective solutions by identifying the talent who will already understand your exact needs. Their network of high-quality, innovating talent covers dozens of digital marketing roles, including UX, digital marketing, and more.

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YEAR OF FOUNDATION:

1986

CEO:

John Chuang

Areas of specialities:

Design & Creative, Human Resources, Marketing

Served Regions:

Global

8. Jobspring Partners

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Jobspring Partners offers deep expertise in the highest demand tech skill sets, such as UI/UX, open source, mobile, Microsoft development, data science, AI, DevOps/Infrastructure, and network security. Their high-touch, highly specialized teams, create rich networks and amass in-depth knowledge of localized technology markets; resulting in a truly consultative approach and an exemplary track record of results.
Jobspring Partners for contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire can be found across the country. They currently have offices in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Charlotte, Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Orange County, and Toronto.

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YEAR OF FOUNDATION:

1989

CEO:

Beth Gilfeather

Areas of specialities:

Engineering, IT

Served Regions:

U.S.-only

9. Mondo

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With nearly two decades of experience and offices nationwide, Mondo helps candidates find full-time, freelance, or contractual work with some of the best organizations. They have a high fulfillment rate and a fast fill time. They help solve the most challenging talent gaps at midsize to enterprise-level companies, along with recently VC-funded startups facing mass hiring challenges and organizations facing hiring needs.

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YEAR OF FOUNDATION:

2000

CEO:

Tim Johnson

Areas of specialities:

Design & Creative, Marketing

Served Regions:

U.S.-only

10. Randstad

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Randstad has earned a reputation for combining innovative HR technology with human insight to power solutions like on-site management, RPO, and outplacement services. They take a personal approach to technology consulting and deliver solutions for the projects and challenges your IT organization is facing.
Randstad provides independent studies of employers and employees and gathers objective workforce data to help you understand the workforce and propel your business.

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YEAR OF FOUNDATION:

1960

CEO:

Jacques van den Broek

Areas of specialities:

General

Served Regions:

Global

11. Vaco

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Vaco provides expert consulting, permanent placement, executive search and strategic staffing for organizations across the globe, in various industries. Vaco has been recognized by national organizations and publications for their growth. In over a decade, Vaco has grown to multiple offices across the globe, hundreds of employees, and thousands of consultants.

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YEAR OF FOUNDATION:

2002

CEO:

Jerry Bostelman

Areas of specialities:

Finance, Human Resources, Marketing

Served Regions:

Global

Los Angeles Staffing Guide

How much do staffing agencies charge companies in Los Angeles?

Actual costs vary by the employment agencies Los Angeles companies use, and there’s no universal standards. However, most companies charge anywhere from 12 percent to 50 percent of the hourly rate the employee will earn. The percentage fee goes down for higher-paid employees to ensure competitive pricing.

How are staffing agencies paid?

This also depends on the company. Most staffing agencies that Los Angeles companies work with are paid directly by you, the employer, and they will pay the employee after subtracting their fee from the total. This is simpler and easier if you have a lot of temporary employees. As such, many of the best staffing agencies in Los Angeles do things this way.

Is it worth going to a temp agency?

That depends on your needs as a company. If you’re looking for long-term help, a temp agency can help you fill the ranks while you take your time to look for a great long-term employee.

Similarly, if you have a sudden need for extra, specialized help on a short-term project, temp agencies can fill that position faster than almost anyone else.

Judging the size of Los Angeles staffing agencies is difficult. Some staffing agencies only have a few people on staff, but place a lot of employees each week. Other agencies have a lot of staff members, but place fewer employees because they want to be sure each one is right. As such, the size of the staffing agency is not as useful a metric as it might seem at first.

Note that many staffing agencies specialize in specific industries. The fact that an agency is large does not inherently mean it’s right for you. If you’re not sure whether an agency is the right fit for your company, ask them if they have experience placing employees of the type you need.

As an employer, should I hire and use a staffing agency in Los Angeles?

Whether or not you use a staffing agency depends on your needs as a company. Staffing agencies in Los Angeles can be great ways to get temporary employees, or even find permanent employees. However, they often cost more than hiring directly.

In short, you should use a staffing agency if:

You need to find a qualified employee as quickly as possible
You want to fill in a gap in your company while you search for a permanent employee
You require someone with specialized skills for a short-term project

You should not use a staffing agency if:

Your company does not have extra money to spend on hiring
You’re trying to build up your brand as an employer
You’re concerned about company culture gaps

What jobs are in demand in Los Angeles?

Some of the most in-demand jobs in Los Angeles (and California as a whole) right now are:

Solar panel installers
Home health aides and assistants
Software programmers
Statisticians
Massage therapists
Actuaries
Healthcare positions, in general
Nonfarm animal caretakers

Healthcare jobs are especially notable on this list thanks to the large size of the state’s population and the coronavirus's ongoing impacts. Many people will require long-term help and support thanks to damage to their lungs, so healthcare roles are likely to remain in-demand for the foreseeable future.

Incidentally, some temp agencies specialize exclusively in healthcare.

What is the job market like in Los Angeles?

As of mid-2020, the job market in Los Angeles is shrinking heavily. Glassdoor offers an excellent overview of the Los Angeles job market here, but positions are currently in free-fall because of the coronavirus.

However, as a major urban area, Los Angeles is expected to recover and get closer to its historic norms once the coronavirus is over. At that point, with a large number of positions opened, staffing agencies may become particularly important.

Here are some more details about the job market in the Los Angeles area.

Rate of employment

As of July 2020, the employment rate in Los Angeles is about 80%. Historically, its employment rate has been around 95% to 96%, which is a better number to base long-term plans for your business on.

Number of people searching for jobs

This is always hard to estimate with any degree of accuracy. Aside from the impacts of the coronavirus, Los Angeles is a major staffing center for the country and people from outside the city, and even outside the state, often search for jobs within it.

Percentage of temporary/staffing workers

The percentage of temporary workers, including those from staffing agencies, has gone up significantly over the last few years. Sometimes referred to as “gigs”, these jobs can make up 40% or more of all positions in areas like administrative staffing.

Temporary jobs are somewhat more common in office environments, with work that is consistent and predictable. They are less common in areas like restaurant services, who usually have enough applicants and a low enough skill threshold that they don’t need to bother with staffing agencies.

Business climate in Los Angeles

Despite the effects of the coronavirus, the overall business climate in Los Angeles is active and vibrant. The city has a particularly high emphasis on technology and trade, as well as some areas like manufacturing, aerospace, and the arts.

As the county itself explains, if Los Angeles County were a separate country, it would have the 19th-largest economy in the world, ahead of areas like Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, and Israel in their entirety.

Large companies and industries in Los Angeles

Here are some of the largest companies and industries in Los Angeles, which makes them areas that the best staffing agencies in Los Angeles often focus on. This list is determined by the number of employees within the county, not by revenue.

County of Los Angeles
Los Angeles Unified School District
University of California, Los Angeles
Kaiser Permanente
Northrop Grumman Corp.
Providence Health & Services
Target Corp.
Walt Disney Co.

Industry details

The largest industries in Los Angeles are:

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities
Government
Professional Services
Manufacturing
Educational and Health Services
Financial Activities
Information Technology

What are the best companies to work for in Los Angeles?

The criteria for “best” varies, with some people evaluating factors like pay or commute time, and other people valuing work-life balance or company culture. As such, there are no companies that are universally the best to work for. However, some popular companies include:

Ultimate Software
Amrock
Rapid Response Monitoring
Intuit
American Express
Ericsson
Custom Ink
Edward Jones

If you want to improve your own workforce, consider researching these companies to see how they’re doing things differently than your business.

Major employment hubs of the city

Los Angeles leans heavily into industry clusters, or areas where similar businesses often group together. Some of the more notable clusters that staffing agencies Los Angeles companies rely on help for growing include:

Westside: Entertainment
South Bay: Aerospace
Downtown: Professional services

City growth and population

According to the United States Census, Los Angeles has approximately four million residents as of 2020, with about a 5% growth over the previous ten years. This does not include residents of outlying areas who travel into Los Angeles for work. Many employment agencies Los Angeles companies work with specialize in recruiting from nearby areas, too, not just the inner city.

Conclusion: How do I choose a staffing agency to work with in Los Angeles?

The best way to choose between Los Angeles staffing agencies is to evaluate reviews of their company, their overall size, their experience placing employees in your industry, and their price.

How important each factor is depends on your company. For example, if you’re tight on cash, then the price is especially important. However, if money isn’t an issue, then you can essentially dismiss the price and focus on finding the highest-quality companies.

Experience is particularly useful in this field. Staffing agencies who place a lot of people usually develop a good sense of the individual nuances and distinctions that make a good fit. Any company that asks questions and tries to learn more about you is generally a better choice than a company that only assures you they’ll give you a suitable applicant.

See below to search for a specialized staffing agency in Los Angeles