Uniting companies with top qualified job candidates

inding quality people to fill company positions is Charles Foster Staffing’s forte, and the firm’s success in this mission is indicated by its longevity. Since its founding in 1969, the 13-member agency has been a leader in the recruitment of administrative and professional personnel throughout the region.
“When I came on board 19 years ago, the focus was on building the firm’s company client base,” recalls Dottie Karst, president of Charles Foster Staffing. “We had to sell ourselves to companies. Today, companies have to sell themselves to us so we can sell them to job candidates.”
What separates Charles Foster Staffing — a 1999 Charleston Regional Business Journal Roaring 20 winner — from other Lowcountry employment services is its market niche. While other area agencies focus primarily on the clerical and light industrial markets, Charles Foster Staffing concentrates strictly on the administrative and professional fields.
“Competitors may be better at placing 25 people who can lift 45 pounds,” says Karst, who eight years ago took over the firm’s helm from her mentor and agency founder, Charles E. Foster. “But we can easily locate three CPAs for a six-month contract.”
In addition to placing temporary and contract employees, the agency — a member of the National Association of Personnel Services and the South Carolina Association of Professional Services —recruits candidates for full-time permanent positions.
The firm places personnel in six professional fields:

1. clerical and administrative
2. technical
3. information technology
4. accounting and finance
5. management and sales
6. human resources

Charles Foster Staffing also recruits internationally to find the best possible candidates. “Our established formula for locating the most talented and best-qualified professional personnel enables our clients to develop and maintain their competitive edge,” claims Karst. “There aren’t many staffing agencies like us.”
The agency thrives on repeat business — a testament to Charles Foster Staffing’s emphasis on quality and delivery.
Candidates are fully screened and tested for skills, intelligence and personality. “We push hard to make sure the applicant’s qualities meet our standards and those of the company we’re serving,” emphasizes Karst. “Our ‘temps’ — we call them ‘field employees’ — are paid by Charles Foster Staffing, and this includes taxes and insurance. We prepare all required forms and follow up regularly to make sure our company clients and employees are satisfied. And our services are 100% guaranteed — we don’t get paid unless we meet the needs of our client companies.”
Karst describes Charles Foster Staffing as an aid to today’s human resources departments. “By leaving the staffing to us, HR departments can concentrate on employee benefits and training,” she explains. “That’s a great weight off their backs.
“I love my work as much today as the day I first started,” adds Karst. “Every day is different. When you’re dealing with companies and job candidates, it’s like dealing with two different people. You’ve got to find the perfect match, which is challenging — but very rewarding.”
Why has Charles Foster Staffing enjoyed more than 30 years of success? “We’ve got great people working here,” says Karst. “Everybody is dedicated to maintaining the very quality with which the agency began.”