Staffing agencies play the role of the middle-man recruiter for temporary and permanent jobs. The benefit of hiring a staffing agency for companies looking to hire is that they screen potential candidates to weed out those who are unqualified. Staffing agencies also benefit job seekers because they can have insight into job openings that may not have been made public yet and they can help you network with potential employers.

Operating a successful staffing agency isn’t as easy as it sounds, though. There’s much more to it than matchmaking employers and job candidates.

Below is a list of things to keep in mind if you currently own or are thinking about starting a staffing agency of your own:

Know your target market

Don’t start off trying to build your employer or candidate database over a wide variety of industries. Start off with a niche industry based on what you know or people you may know working in that industry like biomedical engineering, financial planning or luxury retail.

Starting small in the beginning not only allows you to have a strong foundation but it also helps you to understand your clients’ needs and how the business works. Once you start seeing success in your niche, you will start to build a reputation for yourself. Eventually, you can branch out into other industry sectors if you choose to.

Market your services the right way

If your budget allows for it, invest on Creating a Company website, purchasing a Recruiting Software and posting job opportunities on job boards like Indeed.com, ZipRecruiter.com or niche job boards can be a great way to build up a database of job seekers. With free social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, however, it is easier than ever to find candidates on the hunt for a job.

Research social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, networking events, conferences and professional meet-ups in your area in order to build relationship with prospect clients and market your services. Putting your agency out there is crucial to expanding your client base.

Make sure you have proper funding

Depending on a company’s hiring process, it could potentially take up to 60, even up to 90 days to receive payment for your services. Understand your cash flows and how this will affect your monthly expenses and revenues. You will also need to appreciate that with any business, certain expenses are to be expected, such as office space, insurance, and payroll if you plan on hiring employees.

Take the time to understand your clients

If you do not understand the needs of your clients, your business will go nowhere. Companies hire you to take the work out of hiring a new employee. If you can’t deliver qualified candidates to them, you will be wasting time and money.

When it comes to understanding what your clients need, ask a lot of questions. Find out what it is that they really looking for. Learn about the vacancy details, company policies and what it’s like to work there, it is all about quality over quantity. Never refer potential candidates to a company if they don’t meet their standards or qualifications.