Learn How Robert Half Staffing Services Work

What Robert Half Staffing Services Offers

Robert Half is a staffing and recruiting company that has operated in the United States since 1948. The organization connects job seekers with temporary, temp-to-hire, and permanent positions across multiple industries and job categories. Understanding what Robert Half does can help you determine whether their services might fit your employment situation.

The company operates through several divisions that handle different types of work. Robert Half Finance & Accounting focuses on positions in accounting, finance, and related fields. Robert Half Technology specializes in IT and technology roles. Apex Group (part of Robert Half) handles administrative and office support positions. The staffing firm also places workers in legal, creative, and other specialized fields.

Robert Half generates revenue by charging employers a fee when they hire workers through the service. This fee structure means that job seekers do not pay Robert Half directly to find them work. The company reported 2023 revenues of approximately $6.8 billion, with operations across 300+ locations worldwide and significant presence throughout North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions.

The types of positions available through Robert Half range from entry-level administrative roles to senior management and specialized professional positions. Typical placements include accounting coordinators, software developers, executive assistants, paralegals, graphic designers, and project managers. Wages and salary ranges vary significantly based on location, experience level, and the specific role.

Practical takeaway: Robert Half operates as an intermediary between employers seeking workers and job seekers looking for positions. Before engaging with the company, understand that they primarily serve employers, though they also maintain databases of job seekers for matching purposes.

How the Job Matching Process Works

When you register with Robert Half as a job seeker, you create a profile that captures your work history, skills, education, and job preferences. This information goes into their database system, which recruiters use to identify potential matches for open positions. The process is not automatic—actual Robert Half recruiters review your profile and determine whether your background aligns with positions they are trying to fill.

Robert Half recruiters contact employers to understand their specific needs. They learn about required technical skills, years of experience, salary expectations, work arrangement preferences (remote, on-site, hybrid), and other job requirements. Recruiters then search their database for candidates whose profiles match those criteria. This matching process can take days or weeks, depending on how many suitable candidates exist and how specific the employer's requirements are.

When a potential match exists, a Robert Half recruiter typically contacts the candidate to discuss the opportunity. During this conversation, they provide details about the position, the employer, expected duration (if temporary), location, and compensation. They also assess whether you remain interested in that type of work and whether your current situation allows you to pursue the opportunity. This screening call prevents mismatches and wastes of time for both candidates and employers.

If you express genuine interest, Robert Half may submit your resume and information to the employer for their review. The employer then decides whether to interview you. Some positions move quickly through this stage; others take longer if the employer is considering multiple candidates. You may be interviewed by the employer once, multiple times, or not at all, depending on their decision.

Robert Half also conducts background checks and skills assessments for many positions, particularly for temporary roles. These may include tests for proficiency in software programs like Microsoft Excel or typing speed for administrative positions. For some assignments, drug screening or other verification may be required before you begin work.

Practical takeaway: Registering with Robert Half does not guarantee job placement or contact about opportunities. Your profile must match actual open positions that Robert Half is recruiting for, and employers make the final decision about whom to interview and hire.

Temporary Assignments and How They Function

Temporary assignments represent a significant portion of Robert Half's placements. These are short-term positions lasting anywhere from a few days to several months. Understanding how temporary work through Robert Half differs from traditional employment can help you prepare for what to expect.

When you take a temporary assignment through Robert Half, you become an employee of Robert Half, not the client company where you work. This distinction matters for several reasons. Your paycheck comes from Robert Half, who then bills the client company for your services. Robert Half withholds taxes, Social Security, and Medicare from your paycheck just as a traditional employer would. You receive a Form W-2 from Robert Half at the end of the tax year, not from the company where you performed the actual work.

Temporary assignments typically have defined end dates. An assignment might be listed as "3 months" or "until the end of Q2" or "6 months with possible extension." When the assignment ends, you are not automatically laid off or fired—the temporary position simply concludes as planned. This structure allows employers to manage workload fluctuations without making permanent hiring decisions. It also provides workers flexibility to try different roles or take breaks between assignments.

During temporary assignments, you work under the supervision of the client company, but Robert Half remains your employer. This means the client company directs your day-to-day work, but Robert Half handles payroll, tax withholding, and employment-related paperwork. Some temporary assignments include benefits through Robert Half, though this varies based on assignment length and other factors. Many temporary positions are wage-based rather than salary-based.

Robert Half publishes data showing that temporary assignments have grown significantly. According to industry reports, temporary and contract work now represents approximately 2.8% of total U.S. employment, a share that has expanded over the past 15 years as companies increasingly use flexible staffing to manage business needs.

Practical takeaway: Temporary work through Robert Half offers flexibility but lacks the permanence and often the benefits of direct employment. Understanding your status as a Robert Half employee working at a client company helps you navigate the assignment appropriately.

Temp-to-Hire Positions and Permanent Placements

Beyond temporary assignments, Robert Half also places workers in temp-to-hire and permanent positions. These arrangements differ from temporary work and may offer greater job security and benefits, though they follow different timelines and processes.

Temp-to-hire (also called temp-to-perm or direct-hire trials) positions start as temporary assignments with the explicit goal of potential permanent employment. Typically, you work for Robert Half as a temporary employee for 90 days to 6 months. During this trial period, both you and the employer evaluate whether the fit is right. The employer assesses your actual work performance, reliability, and cultural fit. You determine whether you want to work for that company long-term.

If both parties agree, the employer then hires you directly as a permanent employee. At that point, you leave Robert Half's payroll and become a direct employee of the client company. You may negotiate permanent employment terms including salary, health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other benefits. The specific benefits and compensation can differ significantly from what you earned as a temporary worker, so this transition represents a meaningful change in your employment status.

Permanent placements through Robert Half work differently. For these positions, Robert Half recruits and screens candidates, but the employer directly hires the successful candidate from the outset. You do not go through a temporary trial period; instead, you are hired as a permanent employee of the company. Robert Half still collects a placement fee from the employer, but this happens as a one-time transaction rather than through ongoing payroll processing.

The distinctions matter for your career planning. Temporary assignments offer flexibility but limited benefits and job security. Temp-to-hire positions provide a low-risk trial period for both parties. Permanent placements offer traditional employment from day one. Robert Half's data suggests that approximately 35-40% of temporary assignments convert to permanent roles, though this percentage varies by industry and location.

Robert Half also may place workers at different pay levels depending on position type. Temporary assignments often pay hourly rates, while permanent positions may offer salary, bonuses, or other compensation structures. Negotiating compensation is typically easier with permanent placements since you are entering a traditional employment relationship.

Practical takeaway: Before pursuing a Robert Half placement, clarify whether you are seeking a temporary assignment, a temp-to-hire trial, or a permanent position, as these have different implications for benefits, job security, and your long-term career.

Building Your Robert Half Profile and Getting Connected

Creating a profile with Robert Half is the first step in using their services. Unlike traditional job applications where you submit once and wait to hear back, your Robert Half profile becomes an ongoing tool that recruiters reference throughout