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Somewhere vs Managed Staffing Agencies: Which One is Right for You?

Discover the key differences between Somewhere and managed staffing agencies and learn how Somewhere's specialized headhunting services provide higher quality candidates for mid to senior-level roles.
In this post you will learn how to solve your recruiting challenges with remote hiring.
For a few thousand dollars a month, managed staffing agencies promise to provide and manage remote staff for overseas employers. The question is: how do they compare to Somewhere’s headhunting services — and more importantly — which option is the best for your business?

Let’s find out:

Somewhere vs Managed Staffing Agencies 

Somewhere versus Managed Staffing

Candidate recruitment process

💡TAKEAWAY: Somewhere uses headhunters to find specific roles while managed staffing agencies attract candidates into their internal talent pools.

Both Somewhere and managed staffing agencies recruit talent for their clients. The recruitment and screening processes, however, may differ.

Managed staffing companies usually throw a wide net to find talent. They’re constantly attracting candidates into their internal talent pools, building a stable of low-cost remote employees that they can match with clients later along the way.

Somewhere, on the other hand, operates as a remote hiring agency with a team of professional headhunters to seek out candidates based on your specifications. Once we find promising candidates, they go through a rigorous screening process that involves:

  • English proficiency exams
  • Skills tests
  • Initial interviews —
  • — and a stringent background check

This targeted approach allows Somewhere to help you hire high quality remote employees who fit your exact needs.

Related: How Does Somewhere Work?

Candidate level and quality

💡TAKEAWAY: Somewhere’s headhunting model allows you to fill specific roles, while managed staffing agencies usually provide entry-level assistants for general admin tasks.

As a remote staffing service, Somewhere specializes in hiring mid to senior-level roles. While we’ve had a lot of success helping businesses hire Filipino VAs, our screening process and recruitment model allow us to find highly technical and niche candidates, like remote construction coordinators and department heads.

For example, we’ve successfully helped businesses hire remote talent in competitive regions like South Africa and hire from the Philippines for both creative and executive roles. If your company needs a specialized hire, Somewhere is the right fit.

Managed staffing agencies, on the other hand, usually provide entry-level assistants who can help you with general admin tasks like calendar management, inbox support, and appointment setting.

Read more: 12 Unique Roles You Can Hire Through A Headhunter Agency (Philippines)

Tasks you can delegate

💡TAKEAWAY: Headhunter agencies allow you to delegate a wide range of tasks, while managed staffing agencies usually focus on admin roles.

Since most managed staffing agencies provide general virtual assistance, expect to delegate general tasks as well. Think email management, data entry, and basic customer service.

With a headhunter agency, you can delegate a wider range of tasks, depending on the person you hire.

Payment structure

💡TAKEAWAY: Somewhere charges a one-time finder’s fee, while managed staffing agencies require recurring payments.

The fee structure is one of the biggest Somewhere’s remote recruiting service. Once a successful search is completed, all you need to do is pay a one-time finder’s fee (usually a percentage of the employee’s annual salary) and you’re off to the races.

Managed staffing services are similar to a subscription — you’ll need to pay a recurring fee to use their services. The costs vary depending on the company. Some charge a flat rate of around $2,400/month, while others charge hourly for every assistant you hire.

Employee compensation

💡TAKEAWAY: Remote staff hired through Somewhere receive their full rates. Remote employees from managed staffing services only get a portion of your monthly payments.

Apart from the one-time fee, Somewhere doesn’t take any percentage of the remote employee’s monthly rate. Once you make the hire, we will hand the relationship over to you. You work directly with each other and the employee gets 100% of their advertised rate.

Managed staffing agencies, on the other hand,  act as a middleman between you and the remote employee. Aside from the employee’s compensation, your monthly payment also covers the company’s operational costs. The actual employee only gets a fraction of the monthly fee. For example, if you pay $3,000 a month for a managed staffing service, your assistant will only take home around $800.

Employee Management and Training

💡TAKEAWAY: Somewhere gives you direct control over your employee’s training and management. Managed staffing agencies oversee employee management, payroll, and local labor compliance.

You can probably tell from the name but managed staffing agencies oversee the management of remote staff. Since the staff is technically their employees, the managed staffing agency also takes care of administrative tasks like payroll, HR functions, and compliance with local labor regulations. They could also provide basic training to remote employees. This setup could be beneficial if you want a more hands-off approach to remote hiring.

Somewhere does not currently manage employees on behalf of its clients. Think of them as in-house employees — once you make a successful hire, you’ll have full control over their management, training, and payroll. You’ll also have direct input on their schedules and leae policies. While this scenario requires some time investment on your end, it does give you the opportunity to fully embed these hires into your business.does require This setup works best if you’re keen on developing in-house talent for your business. 

Team Culture

💡TAKEAWAY: Somewhere allows you to fully integrate remote assistants into your organization. Assistants hired through managed staffing agencies adopt the agency’s team culture and policies.

Somewhere

  • They work directly with you, so you can really build a team culture with your hires
  • This matters because this means you can integrate them better into your company - you can delegate more things, you can grow with the employees, you can lessen churn, and  ultimately get the best value for your money >> pls link out the benefits of hiring your own staff

Managed staffing

  • Technically these assistant are the managed staffing agency’s employees
  • Your assistants will likely adopt the managed staffing agency’s team culture, especially if they work onsite
  • Time and investment may be an issue; also like if and when you decide to hire them internally, there are usually clauses preventing you from hiring them for at least a year or you have to pay a steep fee to basically buy the assistant out

Choosing the right remote staffing company depends on your business’s unique needs. If you want low cost remote employees with direct management and full integration into your team, Somewhere’s remote recruitment service is an excellent choice.

From helping you hire Filipino VAs to filling specialized roles with talents from South Africa and Latin America, we make it easy to find high quality remote employees tailored to your business.

Talent is everywhere. Hire with Somewhere.

What is the main difference between Somewhere and managed staffing agencies?

The primary difference lies in the recruitment process and candidate quality. Somewhere utilizes a dedicated team of professional recruiters to find specialized candidates tailored to your specific needs. This results in higher quality hires for mid to senior-level roles. In contrast, managed staffing agencies typically focus on general talent pools, providing entry-level assistants for administrative tasks.

How does the payment structure work for Somewhere compared to managed staffing agencies?

Somewhere operates on a one-time finder’s fee model, where you pay a percentage of the hired employee’s annual salary after a successful placement. This means no ongoing costs once the hire is made. On the other hand, managed staffing agencies require recurring payments, which can vary from monthly fees to hourly rates for each assistant, adding up over time.

Can I integrate remote staff hired through Somewhere into my company culture?

Absolutely! One of the significant advantages of hiring through Somewhere is that you can fully integrate remote employees into your company culture. Since these hires are treated as in-house employees, you have direct control over their training, management, and schedules, allowing for a cohesive team dynamic that aligns with your organizational values.

Get the hiring guide here

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Get the salary guide here

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Get the salary Philippines Hiring Guide here

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Get the LatAm Hiring Guide salary guide here

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Get the South Africa Hiring Guide salary guide here

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