Spherion Staffing: A history of making great connections

Staffing firm has matched quality candidates with top employers for more than a quarter century

For more than a quarter century, Spherion Staffing has connected quality candidates with good jobs.

Pam Thompson, who launched the firm in 1994, stayed true to her conviction that Charleston was a market poised for great growth. Twenty-five-plus years, a merger and a name change later, Thompson and her daughter, Mary Barrineau, have built a thriving business and a strong reputation for matching quality job candidates with top employers.

Contact Info: 4995 Lacross Road, Suite 1050 North Charleston, SC 29406  843-554-4933 spherion.com

Thompson embarked on her journey following a career in Norrell Staffing’s corporate headquarters in Atlanta. Barrineau joined the firm a few years later and the pair has guided the company through changes and growth that include a merger with Interim Staffing and a subsequent name change to Spherion. The firm now has a staff of 11, a list of long-time clients and new customers allowing continuous growth in the Charleston market.

Charleston’s growth has fed Spherion’s to the point where the agency places some 500 employees in the tri-county area every week, mostly in manufacturing and distribution.

“Our main area of growth over the past decade has been in manufacturing and distribution jobs,” Barrineau said. We have seen a lot of quality growth, providing new career opportunities that didn’t exist even five years ago.”

That has led to challenges, she said. Job seekers have more options now and technology has made it easier to contact multiple prospective employers. The instant gratification culture we now live in extends to the job market.

“We can have 100 people lined up for a certain type of job required by one of our clients, but the names on that list of 100 can change a lot in just a few days,” Barrineau said. “A person with a desirable skill set can see more than one offer in a short time, and if an employer needs more time to consider a hire, that person might not be available 72 hours later.”

In that environment, Barrineau says it’s critical for Spherion to stay in close contact with both potential employees and employers, gauging interest, supply and demand that are constantly changing.

“Things can change so fast,” she said. “We are on the phone, emailing, and even texting our candidates all the time, trying to keep up with who might still be available and what opportunities are still open. But we’ve been here 25 years now; our clients know they can always count on us.”