Hustle 18: AI temp agency
Temp agencies thrive because businesses constantly need short term workers but hate doing the hiring themselves. When you add AI to the process, you cut down the time, the workload, and the stress of matching people to roles. An AI enhanced temp agency lets you screen candidates faster, respond quicker, and fill positions in hours instead of days. This model works because companies always need sudden help, and you become the bridge that connects them to qualified talent immediately.
What the business actually is
An AI enhanced temp agency connects businesses that need temporary workers with job seekers who want short-term employment. You source opportunities, build a pool of candidates, and use AI to match people to roles based on their skills, availability, and past performance. AI tools handle the resume screening, initial interviews, scheduling, and communication so you can run the entire operation from home.
You don’t need to supply the labor. You simply organize and connect the two sides and take a fee every time someone is placed.
Who it’s perfect for
This is ideal for you if you:
are organized
like running systems
want a high demand business with year round need
enjoy matching people to opportunities
want a business that can expand into multiple industries
want predictable revenue through placement fees
You don’t need HR experience. You just need to manage operations smoothly.
Tools you need
GPT or Claude
Used to screen resumes, conduct automated first-round interviews, and filter candidates quickly.
Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Track candidates, job applications, hiring stages, and employer requests in one place.
System.io
Use it for your agency website, onboarding forms, employer intake, and job seeker portal.
Zapier or Make
Automate interview scheduling, reminders, onboarding messages, and placement confirmations.
Calendly or TidyCal
Helps schedule live interviews or employer meetings without manual back-and-forth.
Google Workspace or Notion
Organize candidate records, job openings, notes, documents, and performance reviews.
LinkedIn and Facebook Groups
Your main recruitment channels for finding job seekers and businesses seeking help.
How you make money
Placement Fees
Charge businesses a percentage of each worker’s hourly rate or a flat per-placement fee.
Employer Subscription Plans
Offer companies monthly access to your candidate pool and on-demand staffing.
Candidate Upsells
Resume rewrites, interview coaching, skill testing, or certification prep.
Rush Fill Fees
Charge premium rates to fill last-minute shifts or urgent positions.
Long-Term Contract Staffing
Earn recurring revenue by placing workers in ongoing temporary assignments.
How to start step by step
Step 1 — Choose your focus industry
Start with warehouse staffing, admin work, hospitality, retail, or event staffing. These roles fill fast.
Step 2 — Build your System.io website
Create pages for employers, job seekers, FAQs, and pricing.
Step 3 — Create separate onboarding forms
One for businesses posting jobs.
One for job seekers entering your candidate pool.
Step 4 — Use AI to screen applicants
GPT or Claude can filter resumes, score candidates, and summarize skills.
Step 5 — Set up ATS software
Import candidates, tag skills, track availability, and categorize roles.
Step 6 — Automate basic communication
Use Zapier or Make to send interview requests, reminders, confirmations, and onboarding steps.
Step 7 — Recruit your first pool of workers
Use TikTok, Facebook Groups, Indeed, LinkedIn, Reddit, and local job boards.
Step 8 — Contact small businesses
Start with local staffing needs: restaurants, warehouses, offices, events, and hospitality.
Step 9 — Match candidates using AI scoring
Use skill tags, previous experience, and availability to find the right match.
Step 10 — Offer placement guarantees
Give businesses confidence with a 24 or 48 hour replacement policy.
Step 11 — Start collecting placement fees
Invoice per worker or charge percentage rates.
Step 12 — Expand into new industries
Add more job categories as your candidate pool grows.
Word of advice
A temp agency is only as good as its responsiveness. If you respond faster, screen cleaner, and deliver better matches than your competitors, companies will rely on you long-term. AI allows you to operate like a large staffing firm without the overhead. Focus on accuracy, communication, and reliability and the business will scale naturally.
