If things don't work out well, there is no great loss on the employer's side, and there may be no benefits involved. If things do work out well, the employee is shifted onto the company's permanent payroll with appropriate benefits. It's also a good opportunity to expand your network of contacts. Temporary agencies don't normally charge the job hunter for placements, as do other agencies making permanent placements. There are so many agencies that a candidate can choose to work with, however, that I would not recommend selecting any agency that will charge a fee to the candidate except in unusual circumstances.
Most agencies have their fees paid by the potential employer.
The agency gets paid for filling the position with the best possible match and may refer several clients to the employer. If the agency's reputation in the community is lousy, it probably deserves it, he says. Search firms and recruiters do not function as employment agencies, and so they often are not licensed or regulated, according to Lennahan. They often approach a potential candidate directly, rather than the other way around, because they're usually looking for candidates with established track records or reputations. Much of the work in this field is done just by word of mouth and personal referral.