Questions about Liaison...
Are you a staffing company or an advertising agency or what?
Neither. And both. This is our most common question, so you're in good company for asking! Liaison has a unique business model...
We do:
1. Staff and manage teams of creative and marketing professionals who work as Liaison employees onsite at our clients' offices, usually alongside their own staff.
2. Recruit for temp, contract or temp-to-hire positions for advertising agencies, marketing companies, and corporations with in-house ad/marketing groups.
3. Screen every candidate application thoroughly, but only interview the top candidates for any specific job.
4. Try to give specific feedback to every candidate so that they know why they weren't selected for the position.
We don't:
1. Act as your "agent" or talent representative to help you find a job. We work for the client companies who hire us.
2. Have the bandwidth to interview every talented candidate who applies with us. We only interview the finalists for each open position.
3. Interview people for possible future jobs, like a traditional staffing company would do. We recruit from scratch for each open position.
4. Maintain a database of candidate resumes for matching their skills to jobs.
5. Automatically consider prior applicants for new positions. We'd, of course, love to consider you again --- if you apply again.
Do your recruiters work on a commission, like most temp agencies?
No. Our recruiters are motivated to find the best long-term fit between our clients and candidates so that our employees are happy and stay in their jobs for a long time. They love recruiting, but they don't love re-recruiting!
Is there a fee that I have to pay?
Nope. We're paid by our clients and if you're selected for one of our open jobs, then we'll be paying you!
Why do companies use Liaison to hire creative talent instead of just doing it themselves or using a staffing company?
Because we can do it better. We understand the creative and marketing industries and how to find the right person for the job. Our fees to companies are quite competitive - comparable to a staffing company when you factor in the cost of benefits which we offer our employees for almost every position we fill. Plus, we're not just sending people out to work onsite. We often provide the computer equipment, infrastructure, management and expertise to run the entire operation for our clients. At an overall cost that's lower than if they did it themselves. Plus, we're fun to work with.
So, aren't you just an "agent" or a headhunter?
No. We don't represent individual candidates or act as their personal agent. We represent the companies that are looking to hire exceptional creative people; then we go out and find those people, hire them as our employees and assign them to work onsite at our client's offices.
Questions about the hiring process...
I'm looking for work, and I'd like Liaison's help. How do I sign up with Liaison?
There's not a "sign-up" or generalized application process, and it wouldn't be accurate to say we "help people find jobs." We recruit only for actual, open positions that our clients have asked us to fill, and we only interview the top candidates who are best suited to those specific positions.
Can I be considered for more than one job at once?
Absolutely. But you must apply to each and every position that matches your interest, skills, and experience so that your application and resume will be routed to the appropriate recruiter for each position.
I don't see anything on your website that fits my skills. What do I do?
If there's nothing currently posted on our site that fits your interests, skills, and experience now, then just keep checking back every few days to see if there's anything new. Or better yet, subscribe to our RSS feed for automatic updates delivered directly to your RSS reader every day.
How soon will I know about the status of my application?
We try very hard to respond to each and every candidate within two weeks, but sometimes it may take longer, especially if we have a large volume of applications (we often receive over 100 candidates for a single job). So please give us two weeks and if you haven't heard from us by that point, then follow up with us using the process we describe in the confirmation email you receive right after you apply.
I applied online but I never heard anything?
You should always receive an automated email response from our candidate application system letting you know that your application was received. If you did not receive this email, then it was most likely caught by your email application's spam filter. Please set your spam filter to accept emails from the "liaisonresources.com" domain. Or you can email info@liaisonresources.com to confirm that your application was received.
Why don't you keep resumes "on file"?
Resumes can go "stale" quickly. People move, get jobs, change careers. We've found that it is far more efficient to broadcast our job opportunities when they come up and consider those candidates who are actively looking for work.
Can I get a "courtesy interview"?
It would be nice if we could take the time to meet with every talented person who applies with us, but we have a small recruiting team with a good number of jobs and a large number of candidates. It's most productive for us to manage our time wisely so that we can concentrate on filling as many of our open positions as possible in the time available.
How does your company select candidates?
We start with your application, including the cover letter and the resume (and for a creative position, your work samples). The cover letter is critical: it helps us understand how your experience and skills relate to the job we're trying to fill. Based on that, we interview only those candidates who appear to be a strong fit.
Once we've interviewed and identified the top candidates, we discuss each candidate with the hiring manager and decide whether or not to schedule an interview with our client. If our client is interested in a candidate, we then check professional references and work with the hiring manager to make a final decision on whom to hire.
Why do you not list the company name in the job description?
Our clients have asked us to keep their company name confidential. After all, they're hiring Liaison for our expertise, so they do not want candidates attempting to contact them directly. But to help candidates understand as much about the position before they apply, we try to give hints in the job description regarding what part of town and what type of industry the position is in. And we'll certainly tell you who our client once you advance to an interview.
Will you find me another job if/when this assignment ends?
We will certainly try, but there's no guarantee. Usually, if an assignment ends and you did a good job, we'll want to work with you again. It's really just a matter of time before we have another opportunity to discuss with you. But since most of our positions are long-term, we're not a very good resource for keeping you busy with temp work.
How do I get a job at Liaison HQ?
Liaison HQ is a relatively small operation and we're fortunate to have very low turn-over. But if and when we do have an opening, we'll post it on our website.
Questions about working with Liaison...
What does Liaison do for me once I'm hired?
We pay you of course! We also provide benefits for our employees. Benefits include paid sick, vacation. and holiday time, 100% employer paid health, life, and disability insurance, and 401(k) with matching. We send employee newsletters, and have a few fun parties, lunches, and happy hours throughout the year as well.
On a deeper level, a lot of Liaison's value is in "liaising" between corporations and creative talent. Not every corporation understands the needs of creative teams, and vice versa. We help provide a space where the needs of both can thrive and be profitable.
Would applying through or working with Liaison limit my ability to search elsewhere?
Absolutely not. We're competing to find the right talent just as you're competing to find the right employer. Candidates seeking a position with Liaison have no restriction on who they can apply to and which recruiters they engage. The only limitation is that if we've already introduced you to a specific client, it's important that you let us contact them directly.
If you hire me at one client and I don't like it, can you move me to another?
We can consider you for other positions only if you put in notice with the first client. Of course there's a risk there to you. You might not get the new job. We do have a duty of loyalty to our clients, and we don't go behind their backs trying to move our employees out of positions with them.
I applied to a temp job. Will I get benefits?
Benefits begin roughly 2-3 months into the position, with the exception of the 401(k), which you'd be eligible 1st of the quarter after 90 days. So if it's a five- month temp job with full-time hours, you will definitely be eligible for paid time off and health, life, and disability insurance. If you work with us 2-3 months, you may be eligible. If you work with us less than 2 months, you will not be eligible for benefits.
With which clients/companies does Liaison work?
Liaison partners with several Fortune 500 clients, as well as companies in the publishing, advertising, high-tech, and marketing industries. After almost two decades, we've worked with just about everyone in these areas in the Austin and Denver area. We only have one client at the moment in St Paul - another location of one of our Austin corporate clients
Do you have positions that will allow me to work from home?
Sometimes. If a particular position is work-from-home, it will be clearly indicated in the job description. If the description doesn't specifically say it's a telecommuting opportunity, it's not likely.
Do you offer any training or tutorials?
We do not provide career services to job seekers. We do aspire to be a helpful and responsive employer-of-choice, so we publish a newsletter called SWOOSH. Click here to subscribe to Swoosh or click here to read archived issues.
I'm from out of town. What are my chances?
Depends on what you're applying for, where, and what the market is like at the particular time. Austin, Denver and the Twin Cities tend to attract a lot of talent on their own, so the market doesn't usually demand that we provide relocation benefits or otherwise accommodate out-of-town job seekers for the majority of positions. You will always be more competitive for a position if you live in the same city. We do welcome out-of-town applicants, but it always helps if you provide a little detail about your relocation plans in your cover letter.
Questions about confidentiality...
Where does my resume go and who will see it?
Liaison will only circulate your resume and personal information internally, and with our client if we select you as a finalist for a position. Liaison does not blast out resumes to large numbers of potential employers, nor do we post in on any public forum. For more information, please refer to our privacy policy.
I don't want my current employer to know I'm looking. Can you be discrete?
Absolutely. We understand that when most people are looking for a new position, a certain level of discretion is expected. We won't contact your current employer until you're being considered as a finalist, and then only if we let you know in advance. We can't promise you that nobody will ever know, but we can assure you that we make every reasonable effort to keep your candidacy confidential until you're ready to move forward.