Melville Staffing Firms Churn Out New Hires

As Long Island-based companies are starting to thaw out from the hiring freeze, at least two Melville staffing agencies are being tapped to fill open slots.

, an employment firm which acquired Melville-based Sigma Staffing in late 2010, has seen a boost of employment requests from businesses throughout Suffolk County.

"Since the first of the year, things definitely are in an uptick," said Linda Langer, vice president of the agency's Long Island division.

Although, Langer notes, the requests have taken on a new focus.  

"It used to be that we got requests for more basic jobs, like administrative assistants," she said. "Now what we’re seeing is requests for jobs that have many specific requirements. Companies are coming to us for help with really tough jobs that are very specialized."

Access, which has offices in Manhattan and Melville, usually gauges the hiring climate in New York City to predict the trends to come on Long Island. 

"In general, we usually see the market in New York City pick up before Long Island picks up, and New York City has been seeing [an increase] for a few months. We’re just starting to see that," she said.

Lloyd Staffing, an employment firm with offices in Melville as well as Garden City and Manhattan, has seen similar growth in the new year and anticipates a steady first quarter in 2011.

"[Our] Melville corridor has been consistent in it's need for talent and lately we have had project hiring for skills like customer service, call center and data entry on the temporary staffing side," said Nancy Schuman, Lloyd's vice president of marketing.

The firm has also seen an increase in demand for full-time positions from Long Island-based and national companies looking for local talent.

"For full time hires we have seen demand from both national organizations based locally, as well as smaller firms who are hiring," said Schuman. "The most activity has been within management, sales, IT and of late, in the human resources area."

Langer said it's not just permanent positions that companies are trying to fill.

"We've seen an increase in request for temporary help, and that’s always a good sign, because it a predecessor for the permanent staffing requests," she said.