Whitman Associates is a professional staffing agency serving businesses and job seekers in the Washington, D.C. area. Since 1972, we’ve been dedicated to matching highly qualified candidates with a wide variety of temporary, temp-to-hire and permanent positions. We prioritize the needs of both our clients and candidates to ensure successful, lasting relationships.
Kris has a background in public health and a passion for giving back to her community. She volunteers at a local women’s shelter, a cause close to her heart.
A proud Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, her service experience deepened her commitment to helping others and shaped who she is today.
When she’s not volunteering, you’ll likely find Kris at a Mah Jongg table, playing or teaching! She loves introducing the game to friends, family, and anyone eager to learn, and takes great joy in passing on the tradition.
Anahí Sanchez-Moya is an active community leader and proud Virginia Tech alum, currently serving as a board member and chairperson for two inclusive alumni societies.
She is passionate about uplifting Indigenous, Hispanic, and Latine communities and creating spaces where cultural and linguistic identity can truly thrive.
She is especially interested in work that connects local community impact with a broader, global perspective. She hopes to build a career with U.S.-based organizations making meaningful change both at home and around the world.
Based in Northern Virginia, she looks forward to staying involved in her community and is always looking for new ways to grow, connect, and serve.
Hiring on LinkedIn provides visibility, but managing the process requires a lot of time and internal resources.
Many employers underestimate LinkedIn costs for recruitment, including paid ads, recruiter tools and internal labor.
While LinkedIn may generate applicants quickly, there’s still quite a bit of work that goes into the follow-up screening process.
Employment agencies streamline the hiring process by offering companies vetted candidates, greatly reducing time spent on hiring.
Scroll through LinkedIn for long enough, and you might start noticing a pattern. Sleek, polished profiles. Carefully worded headlines. Experience claims stacked neatly into a few square inches of screen space for the viewing pleasure of potential employers. For a platform that was built to support professional connections and hiring, there’s no shortage of surface-level signals competing for attention. And with 1.2 billion users, there’s a lot to look at.
Still, many employers default to LinkedIn when recruiting. On paper, hiring on LinkedIn seems easy. All you have to do is post a job and wait for the best candidates to roll in, right?
Well, unfortunately, really knowing how to hire on LinkedIn requires more than just posting a job description and waiting for responses. As an employer, you have to manage outreach, read through resumes, follow up with candidates and coordinate interviews, all while competing with other employers pursuing the same talent.
This can be a huge undertaking, especially for small and mid-sized companies.
How Hiring on LinkedIn Actually Works
To understand the real investment behind hiring on LinkedIn, it helps to understand the full process. An employer will typically begin by creating a job post, which they may later upgrade to a paid promotion to improve its visibility. From there, they might use LinkedIn’s search tools to identify and message potential candidates proactively.
While this approach can be effective, it’s rarely passive. In many ways, it can be a full-time job for the person managing it. The responsibilities often include:
Monitoring applications daily
Screening resumes and profiles
Sending follow-up messages
Scheduling interviews
Managing candidate drop-off
Even just learning how to hire on LinkedIn the right way takes time and experimentation. If you don’t have a dedicated recruiter, these responsibilities often fall to your managers or HR staff, who already have full workloads.
The Costs of LinkedIn Recruitment
One of the most common misconceptions about hiring on LinkedIn is the cost. While posting a job can seem affordable at first, LinkedIn costs for recruitment can quickly add up.
These can include:
Pay-per-click postings
Sponsored job ads
Hiring Pro or Recruiter subscriptions
InMail credits for outreach
Internal labor hours spent reviewing candidates
According to LinkedIn, the cost of posting a job varies based on the market demand and competition, meaning employers have limited control over their spending. The current cost of an annual LinkedIn Recruiter license is $8,999. Add on the hourly rate for a recruiter working an average of 7 hours per week at $36 per hour, which comes out to about $13,104, and additional training and onboarding costs, and you could be paying above $22,000 per year just to search for new hires.
When we view this holistically, the LinkedIn cost for recruitment extends well beyond ad spend and includes the cost of time.
The Hidden Time Commitment
Hiring on LinkedIn takes time. According to recent SHRM data, the average time to fill a position is about 54 days. Even when candidates respond quickly, there’s still a substantial administrative burden.
Keep in mind, with new AI tools, resumes are posted for a candidate who does not exist.
Employers have to:
Review resumes manually
Coordinate schedules
Conduct initial screenings
Repost roles if searches stall
Administer reference and background checks
Part of knowing how to hire on LinkedIn is accepting the fact that you’ll have many directionless interactions. You may find the perfect candidate and go through several follow-up interviews only to have them ghost you days later. Your inbox may see a number of unqualified applicants, leaving you to sort through even more resumes looking for the right candidates.
Someone may even get a final offer from you and turn around to use it as leverage for a competing offer.
These setbacks happen all the time and can often add days, if not weeks, to the hiring timeline.
How Effective is LinkedIn for Recruiting?
The answer really depends on how much time and expertise an employer can commit. LinkedIn is excellent for giving employers reach and visibility, especially for white-collar roles. However, just because you have a wide reach doesn’t mean you’ll get results, and that’s one of the unfortunate truths many employers learn early on when figuring out how to hire on LinkedIn.
On average, employers receive 180 applications for every hire. As such, you might spend days sorting through applications that don’t meet your requirements. The process can become a bottleneck, especially for roles that require discretion or strict cultural alignment.
While hiring on LinkedIn may give you access to seemingly infinite candidates, it won’t help you vet them or see right off the bat whether they’re a good long-term fit.
The Benefits of Using a Staffing Agency Instead
LinkedIn has done wonders for the recruitment industry, but when push comes to shove, it’s still not a reliable replacement for an experienced staffing agency like Whitman Associates. There are several reasons to choose a staffing agency over LinkedIn:
Efficiency: Time is money. Most companies trying to fill an empty role don’t have the in-house resources to find, analyze, and interview qualified candidates. Staffing agencies do.
Qualification: With LinkedIn, it’s hard to know whether a candidate has padded their online resume (or, in some cases, has outright lied). A staffing agency will verify work history and professional references.
Industry Expertise: Staffing agencies often have a vast understanding of different industries. Paired with a wealth of recruiting experience, they know what it takes to find the perfect candidates for specific teams.
Flexible Hiring Models: Most staffing agencies find temporary, temp-to-hire and permanent options, depending on the needs of the business.
Cost: There is no cost to the employer until a candidate is found and starts, which many times, comes with a guarantee in case the employee does not work out.
A Smarter Way to Hire
At the end of the day, hiring on LinkedIn is not an inherently flawed process. The real question is whether your organization has the time, tools, money and expertise to manage it effectively.
For employers who don’t want to spend time learning how to optimally hire on LinkedIn, and want to reduce risk, control costs and hire more confidently, it may be worth looking into partnering with an experienced employment agency. Whitman Associates helps organizations bypass the drawbacks of hiring on LinkedIn by providing qualified candidates who are ready to contribute from day one.
If you’re evaluating your next hire and laying out your options, consider whether managing recruitment internally is the best use of your time. If you decide you want to take the more efficient path forward, connect with our team to discuss your hiring needs and explore a smarter, more streamlined approach to finding the best talent.
Ben is the “middle” child in his family, growing up alongside twin older sisters and a younger sister. With his mother being Colombian, Ben embraces his heritage and takes every opportunity he can to visit his family in Bogotá and Medellín.
Ben is heavily involved in athletics. He spends much of his time playing, coaching and officiating tennis, basketball, and baseball. A true music lover, Ben enjoys concerts, dancing, playing the piano, and building a vinyl collection inspired by his audiophile father.
Outside of his many hobbies, Ben shares his home with his super friendly pet snake, Severus, a Ball Python he has had for the past five years.
Colin is a recent college graduate who is taking a year to work before attending Law School.
Colin is from a military family, so he has lived around the world, including nine years at Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.
Outside of work, Colin enjoys outdoor activities, maintaining his car, and spending time with his three-legged cat.
Megan is a graduate of Chippewa Valley Technical College with a degree in Digital Marketing.
Megan is from Wisconsin and now lives in Alexandria. She is a volunteer on the Board of Directors for Wisconsin Leadership Seminars. She is passionate about giving back to her community and hopes to inspire and empower others to do the same.
Outside of work, Megan enjoys reading, crafting, and spending time with her dogs.
Are you dreading writing a job description for a recently vacated or newly created position in your organization? You’ll need to know how to write a job description that will end up attracting the most qualified candidates as effectively as possible.
When writing a good job description, blend the basic requirements of the position with some new and proven strategies for conveying that information to awaiting candidates.
In this article, we will help you streamline the job description writing process.
The rundown
A job description works best when the purpose of the role is clear.
Identifying the required skills and experience early keeps the posting focused and avoids unnecessary details.
Candidates respond well when the main duties are listed plainly and reflect the actual rhythm of the job.
Simple formatting helps job seekers review the posting quickly, which often improves the quality of applications.
First, determine what you want your job posting to accomplish
When you write a job description, begin with the key points that you want your job posting to accomplish, regardless of the nature of the position:
It sells the position and your organization by sharing key information about both.
It provides a list of technical requirements, soft skills and traits candidates need to have.
It attracts candidates who will quickly adjust to their position and corporate culture by providing key details. For example, more introverted job candidates may skip applying for the position if they see your company prides itself on its highly interactive culture.
It is friendly and welcoming to anyone considering the role, whether the reader is ultimately the right candidate or not.
It offers clear instructions on how and where to apply, along with the application deadline, if there is one.
4 Steps on How to Write a Job Description That Works
While attracting the right candidates begins with writing a good job description, these four tips will increase your chances of getting that description done right the first time.
1. Define and summarize the position
In this step, you will gather the most vital information about the position. Set up a meeting with the department manager, requesting that he or she provide as much overarching information about the job as possible, as well as five or six day-to-day functions of the role.
Here, you have the chance to paint a vivid portrait of the position for prospective candidates.
2. List and clarify all the experience and qualifications needed
To write an effective job description, how and where you place your requirements in the description is important. The candidates should know the requirements for a position early in the description, so they can either move on to the next posting or settle in to learn more about your organization and the job.
List necessary qualifications like the level of education completed, previous experience in the field, required certifications obtained and maintained, computer languages, data entry proficiency, writing and editing, and anything else crucial to performing the position and adding value to your business.
3. Provide a detailed list of responsibilities and duties
When writing a good job description, expand on the overview of daily functions you provided in the summary. You don’t want to end up attracting candidates who have no clear idea of what they’ll be doing.
For example, let candidates know whether their job is more teamwork-focused or if they will regularly work independently. Additionally, let job seekers know how their position works within the larger framework of their department and the organization. This context informs prospects of the value that your organization places on their responsibilities.
4. Use bullet points, numerical lists and strategic keywords for easy eye-scanning
Finally, to write a good job description, consider how the structure informs readability. Just like you end up reviewing multiple resumes and applications, your potential candidates spend countless hours reading through job boards, social media posts and employment forums.
Putting the same volume of information into a tidy list is easier on the eyes for you and the candidates. Also, make sure to use keywords germane to the position and the prospective candidates’ possible qualifications.
For example, if you are a recruiter with an accounting firm and need a new accounting professional, season your job description with keywords such as “CPA”, “financial professional”, “certified public accountant” and “auditor”.
Work with us
Need more tips and strategies on how to write a job description? Or would you like help with a particularly tricky job description in your queue? No matter what you need, we are experts at attracting candidates.
Writing a good job description shouldn’t be hard. Our recruiting team at Whitman Associates features nearly five decades of collective recruiting success to help streamline your process and connect you with well-suited candidates.
Take the next step by calling (202) 659-2111 or filling out our staffing request form.
Frequently asked questions
Should salary ranges be included?
When possible, yes. A range prevents confusion, sets expectations early and reduces the number of unqualified applications.
How detailed should the section on daily work be?
List the recurring tasks that shape most of the week. Candidates mainly want to understand how their time will be used.
Is it necessary to outline long-term expectations in the posting?
A brief note is useful. It gives applicants a sense of where the role is heading without overwhelming them with future plans.
Be professional and show initiative while working as a temp. Treat every assignment like an interview.
Some of the benefits of working for a temp agency include flexibility, skill building and exposure to potential future employers.
The best professional tips for the workplace are often the simplest. Be a good communicator, show that you can be reliable and be enthusiastic about your role, even on a short stint.
A temporary assignment can be a doorway to long-term career growth. Working as a temp for an agency means more than just filling a short-term role. Rather, it’s a chance to showcase your professionalism and value to future employers.
Here at Whitman Associates, Inc., we’ve seen many candidates in the D.C. metropolitan area turn temporary work into fulfilling, permanent careers.
The right mindset and a few professional tips for the workplace can make all the difference.
How to Build a Professional Reputation from Day One
As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. When working as a temp for an agency, it’s best to treat the assignment as a continuous interview. Arrive on time, dress appropriately, and treat every task with care. Supervisors remember temp employees who know how to communicate and deliver quality work.
You don’t need to worry about being perfect. However, you should be dependable. Follow instructions, meet deadlines and maintain a well-organized workspace.
The more you can incorporate these professional tips for the workplace into your daily routine, the more likely your supervisors will see that you’re ready for greater responsibility.
Be a Good Communicator
When you’re working as a temp for an agency, communication is one of the most important elements to get right. If instructions are unclear, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Check in regularly with your supervisor to make sure you’re meeting expectations and that your work is in line with company goals.
For every project you receive, confirm the details either in person or via email. This shows you have initiative and prevents you from ever having to go through the dreaded “there must have been a miscommunication” talk.
With every communication opportunity, remember to be professional. Avoid using slang or discussing personal topics. The greater you are at exercising a high level of professionalism, the better your superiors will view your reliability and commitment to the organization.
Take Initiative and Show Enthusiasm
Supervisors notice employees who contribute beyond their job description. While you’re working as a temp for an agency, keep an eye out for moments to offer help or suggest small improvements.
Offer to assist your colleague in organizing a filing system or volunteer for an extra task outside your regular to-do list. Taking initiative is one of the main qualities of a good employee.
Having a positive attitude about your work can open doors to future opportunities. One of the biggest benefits of working for a temp agency is that you get exposure to different workplaces. The more you make a lasting impression at these jobs, the more likely you’ll be considered when a permanent role becomes available.
Learn from Each Assignment
With every placement comes a chance to learn new skills and meet new professionals. Staying adaptable when working as a temp for an agency can help you develop experience in numerous industries, such as marketing, admin or customer service.
This goes back to the tip above regarding approaching tasks with curiosity. Ask about different processes, observe workflows and take mental notes as you shadow employees.
Remember that one of the greatest benefits of working for a temp agency is variety. You can explore different work environments until you find one that you feel best fits your strengths and goals.
One of the greatest pieces of advice we can give to an individual working as a temp for an agency is to be helpful, approachable and respectful with everyone. It shouldn’t matter if you’re talking to a department head or the staff at the front desk.
This isn’t a time to be passing out your business card. It’s a time to show that you’re a genuine person who is easy to work with.
The more you practice these professional tips for the workplace, the better the lasting impression you’ll leave beyond your current assignment.
Keep a Positive Attitude, No Matter How Short the Assignment
Temp roles can vary. Some can last for months at a time, while others are just a few days. When working as a temp for an agency, stay positive during transitional periods. Doing so shows flexibility and emotional intelligence.
Switching from one role to the next can feel like a lot of pressure, though approaching it with a calm attitude shows you can handle it. No matter how brief your project is, never view it like a placeholder. Treat it as an opportunity to refine your skills and demonstrate how adaptable you can be.
Your mindset has a major influence on your reputation. The more you focus on growth and keep your energy up, the easier it’ll be for you to reap the benefits of working for a temp agency in the long run.
What to Do When Temporary Turns Permanent
Many professionals begin working as temps for agencies before they ever receive full-time offers. Companies value employees who prove they know how to handle challenges, follow directions and fit in with their culture.
If you’ve approached your temp work with professionalism and shown initiative throughout the process, your next opportunity could be right in front of you.
Our team at Whitman Associates can help you find success as a temp employee and transition into a permanent position, just like we’ve helped countless others.
Start Working as a Temp for an Agency in D.C.
Whether you’re new to the workforce or looking for a change in your career, working as a temp for an agency can offer flexibility and growth in your professional development.
Here at Whitman Associates, we help temps gain the confidence, skills and experience they need to land permanent roles at respected organizations across D.C., Maryland and Virginia. When you’re ready to take on a new temp role, email your resume to resumes@whitmanjobs.com or get in contact with us.
Having a wardrobe that fits the business casual dress code can help you make the right first impression in many professional settings.
Washington D.C. business casual typically means tailored and traditional, though it can change based on the climate.
Look at other employees who have been with the company for a while as your guide.
Most modern offices have relatively relaxed rules about how to dress for success. Even so, the term “business casual” can be confusing, especially for new hires or temps getting started in an unfamiliar workplace setting.
So, what is a business casual dress code, and how can you present yourself with a unique style and confidence without overstepping boundaries?
What a Business Casual Dress Code Means In Today’s Workforce
Most companies will have their own definition of what they believe to be a “business casual” look. In most of the offices throughout D.C., Maryland and Virginia with whom we work, it means professional attire that’s less formal than a suit but still neat, coordinated and upscale.
A good rule of thumb is that if you wouldn’t wear it to a client meeting, it’s probably too casual. Washington D.C. business casual, for example, would include well-fitted dress pants, collared shirts, blouses, knee-length skirts and close-toed shoes.
Each office may have slightly different expectations, so when you start a new job or assignment, check in with HR before day one.
Core Wardrobe Essentials
Even before you determine what a business casual dress code is defined by your new place of work, it’s always a good idea to start with timeless basics that can be used out throughout the year. These are your capsule wardrobe essentials, but for the office.
For both men and women, here are a few things we suggest having in your arsenal:
Dress slacks or khakis
Blouses, button-downs, or collared shirts
Sweaters or cardigans as outer layers
Closed-toe flats, loafers, or low heels
Skirts or dresses that reach the knee
It’s best to go with neutral colors, and always make sure your outfit is wrinkle-free. As for accessories, such as belts, watches and jewelry, keep it minimal, particularly when starting a new role.
What is a Business Casual Dress Code for Men?
While the answer depends on how formal the company is, there are a few reliable standards we’d recommend having in your closet as a man.
A pair of tailored chinos or slacks in navy, gray or khaki can work pretty well in any environment. As for shirts, go with button-downs or polos with solid, neutral colors or patterns. During the winter, you can add a comfortable, lightweight sweater or blazer.
For footwear, you can’t go wrong with a pair of leather shoes, loafers or dressy boots. Athletic sneakers and sandals rarely align with the business casual dress code for men, so keep those for the gym and the beach.
What is a Business Casual Dress Code for Women?
The vast majority of today’s office outfits for women are just as stylish as they are professional. Some appropriate options might include dresses or pencil skirts, tailored slacks or structured blouses. For tops, have a couple simple cardigans, blazers or sweaters that you can swap between.
To complete the look, it’s a good idea to have a few choices of closed-toe shoes, including modest heels and flats.
Whenever people ask us, “What is a business casual dress code?” we often say that a good approach is to get clothing that fits well and avoids extremes.
Stay away from loud patterns or revealing items. That doesn’t mean you need to feel confined to black, white and beige. Just make sure that if you choose to get creative with your wardrobe, keep your prints tasteful and your colors soft. Be yourself, but a more elevated version!
Washington D.C. Business Casual Etiquette
As a professional agency that works with many companies in the D.C. area, we know Washington D.C. business casual better than most. What you may not realize is how much of an impact regional weather can have.
In summer, you’ll see both men and women wearing linen and cotton fabrics. Though when our seasons start to change, you see the shift to wool and knits.
The industrial spread also has a significant influence on dress code etiquette. Washington D.C. is a blend of government, nonprofit and corporate workplaces. That means your place of work may be flexible, but there’s a good chance it’s more traditional. It never hurts to ask your HR person or recruiter for some guidance before you start, especially if you’re heading out for a temp-to-hire role.
No matter what industry you’re working in, the safest approach to a business casual dress code is to dress just a bit more formal than the most casually dressed person in the office.
Things That Are Never Appropriate
As an ever-evolving term, especially with the lax culture of many startup firms, it’s easy to misinterpret what business casual is for men and women. To make sure you never show up in the wrong attire again, here are a few things that rarely meet business casual dress code standards:
Jeans, shorts or cargo pants
T-shirts or sleeveless tops
Flip-flops or open-toe shoes
Sweatshirts or hoods
Athletic wear
Streetwear
Clothing that’s overly tight, loose or revealing
Anything with rips, tears or holes
When in doubt, look to management and follow their lead.
Dress Well, Work Well
We get it. What one person might define as Washington D.C. business casual for a government office job will likely be vastly different from the San Diego business casual dress code for an entertainment app startup.
Even so, basic rules apply. Make smart decisions based on what you now know and use those who manage the company you work for as a reference.
Of course, a first impression goes well beyond dressing business casual. If you are looking for open temp roles across the D.C. metropolitan area, get in touch with us here at Whitman Associates, and let us help you make a first impression that lasts.
Cedar Young is a recent graduate of St. Lawrence University with a degree in environmental studies – government.
Cedar is from the Adirondack Park of New York State and now lives in Washington, DC. She has been participating in environmental work since she was 15 years old and hopes to go on to shape environmental law and policy.
Outside of work, Cedar enjoys hobbies like painting and drawing, cooking new dishes, and exploring Washington, DC.
