5 Work Agencies in Singapore (With Tips to Choose Them)

Updated 27 June 2023

Companies often outsource their hiring process to recruitment or employment agencies to fill available positions effectively. If you want to increase your chances of getting a job quickly, a work or recruitment agency can help you find one. Learning about the best work agencies and understanding what they offer can help you decide if you want to work with them. In this article, we explain what a work agency in Singapore is, list five examples, share their areas of specialisation and provide tips to help you work with one.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions and organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

What is a work agency?

A work or employment agency works with different companies by helping them find and hire ideal candidates for specific roles based on certain requirements, such as skill set, qualifications and work experience. While some agencies work across industries, others may specialise in information technology (IT) or human resources (HR). Contacting them can help you find jobs matching your work experience and other professional expectations.

5 work agencies in Singapore

If you're looking for a work agency in Singapore, here are five that can help you in your job search process:

1. Randstad

Randstad is a popular and reliable recruitment firm that has been in the industry for more than two decades, helping candidates and companies find suitable matches. It has offices in many countries, making it a global brand. Besides temporary and permanent job opportunities, the company also offers payroll, employer branding and consultation services to organisations.

The company has also received numerous awards and caters to many IT companies in Singapore and other countries. This makes it highly preferable among IT professionals. Randstad also works in other industries, including:

accounting
construction
banking
HR
legal
manufacturing
sales

Find IT consultant jobs

2. Michael Page

Michael Page is an international work agency with over four decades of experience in finding qualified companies globally. The company aims to match talented candidates with reputable companies and mainly specialises in top- and mid-level management and technical positions. They can help you find employment opportunities both locally and globally, increasing your chances of finding a suitable match.

It also offers career consultation services even after matching a candidate for the job, fostering long-term and successful relations with both parties. It's an award-winning agency with an in-depth knowledge of the local markets in Singapore, which can help you find a suitable job according to your skill set, experience and other job requirements. The industries Michael Page caters to are:

construction
IT
executive roles
finance
HR
banking
marketing
accounting
real estate
logistics

Find finance executive jobs

3. JAC Recruitment

JAC Recruitment helps highly qualified candidates find suitable job opportunities, provides consultation to companies and candidates and is the longest-serving work agency in Singapore. It can assist you in your interview preparation and provide any required information regarding the hiring company to help you decide if it's the right match for you. To ensure you meet your professional goals, JAC also offers follow-up meetings to help you progress.

JAC provides guidance to candidates and companies to help them meet long-term goals by matching them based on their experience, skills and qualifications. This ensures both the employer and candidate are mutually satisfied. The industries in which JAC Recruitment specialises include:

finance
health care
IT
sales
tourism and hospitality
marketing
legal
advertising
telecoms
manufacturing

Find healthcare assistant jobs

4. Manpower

Manpower is one of the leading work agencies that help talented professionals find suitable job prospects. It also provides career management services to interested job seekers to help them meet their employment goals. It has expert team members with extensive experience in their assigned domains, ensuring you get relevant and useful industry and company information.

The company has established its presence in around 80 countries worldwide over seven decades, making it a globally recognised brand. Manpower offers temporary and permanent opportunities to meet varied market demands and is the third-largest staffing firm in the world. The industries it specialises in include:

IT
food and beverage
engineering
HR
accounting
finance
logistics
marketing
administrative
automotive

Find food and beverage manager jobs

5. Adept Manpower

Adept Manpower operates globally with more than 500 clients ensuring ample local and international job opportunities for you. The company offers temporary and permanent employment solutions and has catered to more than 5,000 candidates. It has an expert team that helps it to provide useful job search tips and other industry information to candidates.

You can access its website to find jobs that suit your expertise or professional requirements. The website also has a smart bot that helps you build your resume by entering relevant information in the appropriate sections. Some industries in which Adept Manpower specialises include:

real estate
oil
banking
manufacturing
gas
top- and mid- and entry-level executives, professionals, and technicians
managers

Tips to utilise work agencies

Here are some useful tips to help you better utilise work agencies to get improved results:

Find a specialised agency. When looking for a work agency, try to choose one with experience in the domain in which you want to work. This can increase your chances of getting a job that meets your qualifications and expertise, as the agencies are aware of the vacancies available.
Be ready for opportunities. Be open to different options, even if they may not precisely match your requirements. For instance, if you're looking for a full-time role but seeing temporary jobs instead, examine the job details, as these jobs may offer permanent opportunities later.
Be professional. This demonstrates your interest in the job application and can help you make a positive impression on an agency recruiter. Wear formal attire, be on time for the meeting and practise before the interview to ensure you mention all the important information regarding your qualifications and requirements.
Explain your job requirements clearly. This includes the salary you seek, your preferred locations and the domains in which you want to work. This can help an agency recruiter to identify opportunities that best suit your needs.
Provide authentic information. Inform your recruiter about the job details and any other gaps in your professional career so that they can explain it to the employer if necessary. Ensure the information you provide to the agency recruiter and the hiring company is authentic.
Enhance your skill set. Many work agencies provide professional training and programmes to help you acquire specific skills in different fields free of cost. You can ask the recruiting agent to suggest what you could do to become more employable and get your preferred job.

Advantages of working with employment agencies

Some benefits of seeking jobs through work agencies are:

Gaining professional advice: Recruitment agents typically have domain experience, which helps them provide valuable guidance to candidates regarding the areas they can work on or improve, which can help them gain employment faster.
Personalised job opportunities: Recruitment agencies often receive notifications of vacancies for which you're eligible. Applying early can increase the chances that a hiring company reviews your application and shortlists you.
Saving time: Recruiting agencies select the best opportunities based on your requirements, saving you the time it would take for you to do the search yourself. They can also provide information about the company and the role to help you better understand the job and if it fits your requirements.
Enhancing your candidature: Applying through a reputable recruitment agency can create a positive impression of you as a professional, as employers often trust an agency's procedures and policies for shortlisting candidates. Likewise, you can trust the offers the recruitment agencies provide.