Atlanta’s employment agency market is one of the most active in the Southeast, serving a metro area with over three million jobs across industries that span financial services, healthcare, technology, logistics, manufacturing, and professional services. The city’s position as the Southeast’s dominant corporate hub, combined with population growth that consistently outpaces national averages, creates persistent talent demand that keeps Atlanta employment agencies busy across both permanent placement and contract staffing services. Georgia’s pro-business regulatory environment, lack of state income tax advantages for companies relocating headquarters to Atlanta, and the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport hub have accelerated corporate migration into the metro, adding to the steady placement demand employment agencies serve. Atlanta’s employment agency market includes national staffing firms with large local offices, specialized boutiques serving specific industries or professional functions, and executive search firms that operate at the senior management and C-suite level.
When selecting an employment agency in Atlanta, clarify whether you need permanent placement, contract staffing, or contract-to-hire arrangements, as agencies vary significantly in their depth across these service models. Ask about the agency’s candidate sourcing methods, particularly whether they access active job seekers only or maintain relationships with passive candidates currently employed in your target roles. Verify the agency’s experience placing candidates in your specific industry and at the compensation level relevant to your openings. Ask about guarantee periods for permanent placements, which typically run 30 to 90 days for replacement if a placed candidate leaves within the guarantee window. Red flags include agencies that present unqualified candidates without screening evidence, charge placement fees without clear success-based structures, or cannot provide references from employers in your industry.
Top Employment Agency Companies in Atlanta
1. Robert Half
Address: 3343 Peachtree Rd NE, Ste 600, Atlanta, GA 30326
Phone: (855) 970-1851
Website: https://www.roberthalf.com
Services:
- Accounting and finance permanent placement
- Technology and IT staffing
- Administrative and office support placement
- Legal staffing and placement
- Contract and temporary staffing
- Executive search through Protiviti
About: Robert Half operates from its Buckhead office at 3343 Peachtree Road as one of Atlanta’s largest and most established employment agencies, providing permanent placement and contract staffing for accounting, finance, technology, administrative, and legal roles across the Atlanta metro’s corporate employer base. The firm’s specialization by functional discipline, with separate divisions serving accounting and finance, technology, and administrative roles, allows Robert Half’s Atlanta recruiters to develop deep expertise in the candidate pool and employer expectations for their specific function rather than spreading attention across all job categories. The Buckhead office location places Robert Half adjacent to Atlanta’s largest concentration of corporate headquarters and financial services employers, where much of the firm’s permanent placement activity concentrates. Robert Half’s national database of candidates, combined with Atlanta-specific recruiter relationships developed over decades in the market, provides clients with access to both local active candidates and relocated professionals seeking Atlanta positions.
2. Acara Solutions
Address: 3280 Peachtree Rd NE, 7th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30305
Phone: (770) 850-8884
Website: https://acarasolutions.com
Services:
- Engineering and technical staffing
- Manufacturing and industrial placement
- IT and technology staffing
- Professional and administrative placement
- Contract, contract-to-hire, and direct placement
- Workforce solutions and managed services
About: Acara Solutions serves Atlanta employers from its Peachtree Road office as a technical and professional staffing agency specializing in engineering, manufacturing, IT, and professional placements across the metro area’s industrial, technology, and corporate sectors. The firm’s technical staffing focus differentiates it from generalist agencies in the Atlanta market, providing employers in manufacturing, aerospace, logistics, and technology with recruiters who understand technical role requirements, relevant credentials, and the engineering and IT candidate market in Georgia. Acara’s contract, contract-to-hire, and direct placement service models give Atlanta employers flexibility in how they engage talent, supporting both immediate contract coverage needs and longer-term permanent hiring decisions. The firm’s managed workforce solutions capability serves Atlanta employers with larger-scale staffing programs that require vendor management, compliance tracking, and consolidated invoicing across multiple contract workers.
3. TRC Talent Solutions
Address: 5909 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30328
Website: https://www.trctalent.com
Services:
- Professional and executive placement
- Accounting, finance, and legal staffing
- Technology and IT placement
- Human resources and operations staffing
- Contract and interim professional staffing
- Direct hire and permanent placement
About: TRC Talent Solutions operates from its Perimeter area office in Atlanta as a professional staffing and placement firm serving mid-market and enterprise employers across accounting, finance, technology, legal, human resources, and operations functions. The firm’s Perimeter Center location provides proximity to the large concentration of corporate operations and regional headquarters that cluster in Atlanta’s north suburban corridor from Dunwoody through Alpharetta. TRC’s focus on professional and mid-management level placements, rather than entry-level or executive-only searches, positions the firm to serve the broad middle of Atlanta’s talent market where placement volume and employer demand are highest. The firm’s relationship-driven approach, maintaining long-term relationships with both hiring managers and candidates in the Atlanta professional market, provides a candidate pipeline that extends beyond those actively responding to posted positions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does an employment agency charge for permanent placement in Atlanta?
A: Permanent placement fees at Atlanta employment agencies are typically calculated as a percentage of the placed candidate’s first-year base salary. For professional and technical roles, fees commonly run 15 to 25 percent of first-year salary. For executive placements above $150,000 base salary, fees run 25 to 33 percent. Most Atlanta agencies offer replacement guarantees of 30 to 90 days, providing a free replacement or partial fee refund if the placed candidate leaves within the guarantee window. Some Atlanta agencies offer retained search arrangements for hard-to-fill roles, with fees paid in installments tied to search milestones rather than solely on placement. Contract staffing carries hourly bill rates that include the agency’s markup over the worker’s pay rate, typically 35 to 65 percent markup for professional contract roles.
Q: How do Atlanta employment agencies find candidates for hard-to-fill roles?
A: Atlanta employment agencies use multiple sourcing channels to identify candidates beyond those responding to posted job listings. Established agencies maintain proprietary databases of candidates placed in previous engagements, many of whom remain in contact with their recruiter for future opportunities. Recruiters conduct direct outreach to passive candidates, contacting currently employed professionals who are not actively searching but may consider the right opportunity. LinkedIn, professional association networks, industry conference relationships, and referral networks from previously placed candidates add to the sourcing mix. For specialized technical or executive roles, Atlanta recruiters with deep functional networks often identify candidates through direct industry relationships built over years in the local market, providing access to candidates who will not respond to posted listings.
Q: What is the difference between an employment agency and an executive search firm in Atlanta?
A: Employment agencies in Atlanta typically handle roles from entry level through mid-management and often work on contingency, meaning they are paid only when a placement is made. They commonly fill multiple client openings simultaneously and compete with other agencies to present candidates. Executive search firms, also called headhunters or retained search firms, specialize in senior management and executive roles, typically work on retainer, and conduct exclusive searches for specific positions. The distinction matters because executive searches require more intensive sourcing, candidate assessment, and discreet outreach to currently employed senior candidates that contingency-based employment agencies rarely prioritize below a certain salary threshold. For roles above approximately $150,000 in base salary, Atlanta companies typically see better results from dedicated executive search firms than general employment agencies.
Conclusion
Atlanta’s employment agency market provides employers with professional talent acquisition resources through Robert Half’s deep functional specialization from its Buckhead office, Acara Solutions’ technical and engineering staffing expertise from Peachtree Road, and TRC Talent Solutions’ professional placement focus from the Perimeter area. Each firm brings established Atlanta candidate networks and industry knowledge that supports both immediate staffing needs and longer-term permanent hiring programs. Contact each agency directly to discuss current candidate availability, relevant placement experience in your industry, and fee structures appropriate to your hiring needs.