The pros and cons of working at an IT staffing company

Those who are planning to look for a new job opportunity in the coming year, and have experience in the IT field, working for a staff augmentation company might be just the right choice. These companies provide temporary staff to other businesses who need help with specific projects or tasks. In this article, we offer an insider's look at what it is like to work for one of these providers, including the benefits and drawbacks.

What is staff augmentation?

Staff augmentation, as a subsection of the broader outsourcing model, is the practice of bringing in staff to help with a specific project or task, either on-site or remotely. These staff members may be highly experienced professionals who provide software development services for a fixed period of time before moving onto the next job, or they might be permanent staff who are hired from outside of the company through a provider.

There are many advantages to staff augmentation services. They allow companies to bring in staff with specialized skills and knowledge that they may not have in-house, or staff who can fill temporary gaps while the business is between projects. Due to staff augmentation providers having access to vast talent pools, the recruitment process is quick and does not involve much work on the side of the client. Additionally, because the agreement is signed with the provider, team members can be added or removed quickly, without a lengthy process or termination costs, fitting the company's current needs.

However, staff augmentation services also have some drawbacks - for example, it can be a more expensive way to staff a company in the long-term. It also introduces some challenges for building team cohesion and maintaining a company culture. Still, many businesses come to the conclusion that these obstacles are easier to work around than the hassle and costs of traditional recruitment, especially when their existing team does not have particular skills necessary for business growth.

The advantages of working within the staff augmentation model

Working for a staff augmentation provider comes with a number of benefits. Firstly, staff augmentation staff often get the opportunity to work on interesting projects and are often exposed to different business cultures. Secondly, staff members can expect competitive pay and employee benefits. Sometimes, it is possible to access both the benefits offered by the provider and the client.

Additionally, staff augmentation staff do not have to worry about job security - companies like DEVTALENTS do not end cooperation with someone simply because the project they were working on ended. Instead, we make sure to find new, exciting software development work for these team members, or engage them in internal, open-source projects.

This type of job also offers greater flexibility, since staff members can come and go as needed, without having to make long-term commitments. Finally, staff augmentation staff will have access to a wide range of resources and networks that they can use to their advantage. For example, DEVTALENTS' team mostly consists of senior-level software developers, which creates an excellent environment for knowledge sharing and learning.

The drawbacks of staff augmentation services for team members

Although staff augmentation staff enjoy many benefits, there are a few drawbacks as well. For one thing, staff members may find that they do not have the same level of predictability as they would in other jobs.  After all, it is much easier for the client to scale the team up or down, which can mean reshuffling, going through another onboarding process, and having to adjust to new team dynamics.

Furthermore, staff members may not always feel like part of the team since they are not formally part of the company's full-time staff. Providers like DEVTALENTS always make sure to support their teams, helping them adjust to new work environments and creating a sense of community internally, through a company chat, team integration events, and similar means. Additionally, in many cases, more than one member of the provider's team joins the client's staff.

Who is staff augmentation best suited for?

People who enjoy a challenge, are comfortable working in an ever-changing environment and possess specialized skills that can be beneficial to many different businesses will likely find staff augmentation work rewarding. Working for these companies also offers the opportunity to gain experience across different industries, which is a valuable asset for any career.

Overall, staff augmentation is a great option for those tech experts who want to take on challenging projects and utilize their skill set in different environments without having to commit long-term. However, it is important to bear in mind that staff augmentation staff must remain flexible and open-minded, as their work experience may vary greatly from one project to the next.  If you think staff augmentation might be right for you, then reach out to a staff augmentation provider like DEVTALENTS to explore its possibilities.