---
title: "What to Expect at Your First Staffing Agency Appointment | The Staffing Guide"
description: "Whether you are brand new to the workforce or re-entering after a gap, walking into a staffing agency for the first time can feel overwhelming. Knowing wha"
---

# What to Expect at Your First Staffing Agency Appointment

[Applying & Interviews](https://russellstaffinginc.com/category/applying-and-interviews/)

Whether you are brand new to the workforce or re-entering after a gap, walking into a staffing agency for the first time can feel overwhelming. Knowing what to expect makes the entire process smoother and far less stressful.

## Before Your Appointment

Most agencies schedule an intake appointment that lasts between one and two hours. Bring the documents you would need for any job application: a government-issued photo ID, your Social Security card or other work-authorization documents, and a copy of your resume. If you have certifications such as a forklift license, food-handler card, or OSHA card, bring those too — they can open doors to higher-paying assignments.

## What Happens During the Intake

- **Paperwork:** You will complete an employment application, sign consent forms for background checks and drug testing, and fill out tax withholding forms (W-4 and I-9).
- **Skills assessment:** Many agencies run short computer-based tests covering typing speed, data entry accuracy, or basic math depending on the roles they fill.
- **Interview:** A recruiter will walk through your work history, availability, and the types of assignments you are looking for.
- **Job matching:** The recruiter explains current openings that fit your profile and answers questions about pay rates and expected duration.

## Questions Worth Asking

Do not leave without asking about the agency’s pay schedule (weekly is common), how to report your hours, and what happens if an assignment ends early. Ask whether the agency offers benefits such as health insurance for long-term placements, and find out the best way to stay in contact with your recruiter.

## After the Intake

You may receive an assignment offer the same day or it may take a few days. Keep your phone on and respond promptly — recruiters often fill roles quickly and may move to the next available candidate if they cannot reach you. Update your recruiter any time your availability or skills change so they can match you to the best opportunities.

The intake process is designed to help the agency help you. Going in prepared and asking good questions sets the tone for a productive working relationship.

### Related Articles

📄

[Illegal Interview Questions: What Employers Should Not Ask (and What to Ask Instead)](https://russellstaffinginc.com/illegal-interview-questions-employers/)

Interview questions employers should not ask about…

📄

[Are Unpaid Working Interviews Legal? What Employers Need to Know About Trial Shifts](https://russellstaffinginc.com/are-unpaid-working-interviews-legal/)

Are unpaid working interviews legal? Why trial shi…

📄

[Accounting Interview Questions and How to Answer Them](https://russellstaffinginc.com/accounting-interview-questions-and-how-to-answer-them/)

Technical accounting interview questions test your…

📄

[How to Use a Staffing Agency When Returning to Work After a Gap](https://russellstaffinginc.com/how-to-use-a-staffing-agency-when-returning-to-work-after-a-gap/)

If you have been out of work for a while, returnin…

📄

[Writing a resume for agency work](https://russellstaffinginc.com/resume-for-staffing-agencies/)

When a staffing agency receives your résumé, the f…

📄

[How to Prepare for a Staffing Agency Interview](https://russellstaffinginc.com/how-to-prepare-for-a-staffing-agency-interview/)

How to Prepare for a Staffing Agency Interview An …

### Recently Published

- [The True Cost of Hiring an Employee: A Q1 Budgeting Guide for Small Businesses](https://russellstaffinginc.com/true-cost-of-hiring-an-employee/)
- [Illegal Interview Questions: What Employers Should Not Ask (and What to Ask Instead)](https://russellstaffinginc.com/illegal-interview-questions-employers/)
- [Are Unpaid Working Interviews Legal? What Employers Need to Know About Trial Shifts](https://russellstaffinginc.com/are-unpaid-working-interviews-legal/)
- [Rehiring Seasonal Employees: When You Need a New Form I-9](https://russellstaffinginc.com/rehiring-seasonal-employees-form-i-9/)
- [Hiring 14- and 15-Year-Olds for Winter Break: Federal Hours Rules for Employers](https://russellstaffinginc.com/hiring-14-and-15-year-olds-winter-break/)
- [How Holiday Bonuses Are Taxed: An Employer’s Guide to Withholding, Gift Cards and Overtime](https://russellstaffinginc.com/how-holiday-bonuses-are-taxed-employers/)
- [Do Employers Have to Pay Holiday Pay? Federal Rules for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year](https://russellstaffinginc.com/do-employers-have-to-pay-holiday-pay/)
- [Form 1099-NEC for 2026 Payments: The $2,000 Threshold and What Small Businesses Must File](https://russellstaffinginc.com/form-1099-nec-small-business-2026/)
- [Employee or Independent Contractor? A Year-End Classification Review for Employers](https://russellstaffinginc.com/employee-or-independent-contractor-year-end-review/)
- [How to Convert a Seasonal Employee to Permanent: An Employer’s Guide](https://russellstaffinginc.com/convert-seasonal-employee-to-permanent/)
- [What Employers Need to Know Before Using a Staffing Agency](https://russellstaffinginc.com/what-employers-need-to-know-before-using-a-staffing-agency/)
- [How to Manage Seasonal Workers: A Practical Guide for Small Businesses](https://russellstaffinginc.com/how-to-manage-seasonal-workers-a-practical-guide-for-small-businesses/)
- [Temp-to-Hire vs Direct Hire: Which Hiring Model Is Right for Your Business?](https://russellstaffinginc.com/temp-to-hire-vs-direct-hire-which-hiring-model-is-right-for-your-business/)
- [Background Check Requirements for New Hires: What Employers Need to Know](https://russellstaffinginc.com/background-check-requirements-for-new-hires-what-employers-need-to-know/)
- [How to Write an Effective Job Description That Attracts Quality Candidates](https://russellstaffinginc.com/how-to-write-an-effective-job-description-that-attracts-quality-candidates/)

### Topics

- [Accounting Careers](https://russellstaffinginc.com/category/accounting-careers/) (2)
- [Applying & Interviews](https://russellstaffinginc.com/category/applying-and-interviews/) (13)
- [Career Changes](https://russellstaffinginc.com/category/career-changes/) (8)
- [Certifications](https://russellstaffinginc.com/category/certifications/) (2)
- [Finance Careers](https://russellstaffinginc.com/category/finance-careers/) (1)
- [How Staffing Works](https://russellstaffinginc.com/category/how-staffing-works/) (7)
- [Pay, Tax & Contracts](https://russellstaffinginc.com/category/pay-tax-and-contracts/) (23)
- [Role Comparisons](https://russellstaffinginc.com/category/role-comparisons/) (4)
- [Uncategorized](https://russellstaffinginc.com/category/uncategorized/) (10)
- [Working With an Agency](https://russellstaffinginc.com/category/working-with-an-agency/) (29)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "Article",
    "headline": "What to Expect at Your First Staffing Agency Appointment",
    "description": "Whether you are brand new to the workforce or re-entering after a gap, walking into a staffing agency for the first time can feel overwhelming. Knowing wha",
    "url": "https://russellstaffinginc.com/what-to-expect-at-your-first-staffing-agency-appointment/",
    "datePublished": "",
    "dateModified": "",
    "author": {
        "@type": "Organization",
        "name": "russellstaffinginc.com"
    },
    "publisher": {
        "@type": "Organization",
        "name": "russellstaffinginc.com",
        "url": "https://russellstaffinginc.com"
    },
    "mainEntityOfPage": {
        "@type": "WebPage",
        "@id": "https://russellstaffinginc.com/what-to-expect-at-your-first-staffing-agency-appointment/"
    }
}
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
    "itemListElement": [
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 1,
            "name": "Home",
            "item": "https://russellstaffinginc.com/"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 2,
            "name": "Applying & Interviews",
            "item": "https://russellstaffinginc.com/category/applying-and-interviews/"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 3,
            "name": "What to Expect at Your First Staffing Agency Appointment",
            "item": "https://russellstaffinginc.com/what-to-expect-at-your-first-staffing-agency-appointment/"
        }
    ]
}
```