Manpower agency or job portal: which is better for hiring blue-collar staff?
Short answer
A job portal gives you applicants, and your team does the calling, screening, joining follow-up and replacements. A manpower agency hands you screened people who report for work, replaces those who leave, and on contract also runs payroll and PF. Portals suit a few hires with an HR team; agencies suit volume, urgency and high churn.
Comparison
| Point | Job portal | Manpower agency |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | Applications | Screened candidates who report |
| Your team's time | Calling, screening, follow-up | Interview and select only |
| No-shows and early exits | You re-advertise | The agency replaces under agreed terms |
| Payroll and PF | Yours | The agency's, on contract staffing |
| Cost | Subscription or per-post fee | Placement fee, or a monthly service charge |
| Fits | A few hires, with an in-house HR team | Bulk, urgent or high-churn roles |
Should I use both?
Many employers do. They post skilled openings on portals and send volume, urgent and replacement-heavy roles to an agency. If your HR team spends more time chasing no-shows than interviewing, that role belongs with an agency.