Staffing success is all about quality candidates and speed. Staffing agencies are highly competitive and those that move quickly don’t just win—they fill jobs before competitors even react. That’s why understanding how staffing agencies fill jobs faster is essential to staying ahead. The secret? Smarter, more efficient candidate screening powered by COATS Staffing Software.

The average time to fill a position in the United States is around 44 days, according to a survey conducted by SHRM. However, this average can vary significantly depending on several factors, such as industry, location, and the type of position being filled. Other sources report a slightly different average of 35 days. 

Staffing agencies are typically faster at filling open roles. Especially high volume roles that staffing companies work on a daily basis to keep their pipeline filled for contracted clients. Madison resources shares that temporary roles are filled between 1-15 days and high skilled and permanent positions are 30-60 days on average.  

The Screening Bottleneck That Slows Agencies Down

Even with job orders flowing in, many staffing firms hit the same roadblock: the resume and candidate screening process. Every open position draws dozens—or even hundreds—of applicants. Without the right tools, recruiters spend hours manually sorting resumes, calling candidates, and trying to figure out who’s qualified.

That delay can cost you a placement.

COATS changes the game by helping staffing agencies automate, streamline, and simplify every step of the candidate screening process. From powerful search filters to real-world performance history, COATS lets your team move faster without sacrificing quality.

1. Find Qualified Talent Instantly with Targeted Search

COATS allows recruiters to search across your entire candidate database using skills, certifications, experience, and more. Whether you need a forklift-certified warehouse worker or a bilingual administrative assistant with QuickBooks skills, COATS helps you find them in seconds.

This is how staffing agencies fill jobs faster—with smart search tools that surface the right candidates instantly, even for last-minute orders.

2. Use Tags and Status Codes to Screen Smarter

Internal tags and status codes help recruiters identify and organize candidates quickly. For example:

NER = Not Eligible for Rehire

CON = Confirmed for a job

INT = Interviewed

REJ = Rejected

PEN = Pending

ACC = Accepted

FIN = Finished

These codes save time by helping recruiters avoid duplicate outreach, prevent bad rehires, and highlight top performers instantly. When working with shared clients or across branches, these labels keep the whole team aligned.

COATS also stores recruiter notes and client feedback within each assignment record, helping track satisfaction and improve future placements.

3. Filter Candidates by Availability and Fit

COATS doesn’t just match skills—it lets you filter by availability, shift preferences, location, and candidate status. This ensures you’re only contacting candidates who are ready and eligible to work. That means fewer dead-end conversations and faster confirmations.

4. Boost Team Collaboration with Ratings and Notes

Consistency across recruiters is critical, especially when speed matters. COATS includes tools to score candidates on reliability, communication, and job fit—plus quick-access voice-to-text notes. Recruiters can share insights and feedback in one place, helping teams build stronger shortlists without starting from scratch each time.

5. Go Beyond the Resume with Real-World Performance

Resumes don’t always tell the full story—especially for high-volume or industrial roles. COATS ties each candidate to real job outcomes, like:

Past placements

Attendance records

Client satisfaction

Assignment duration

Pay history

This gives recruiters insight into how someone actually performs on the job, not just how they look on paper.

The Result: Faster Hires, Better Matches, Happier Clients

By streamlining every step of screening, COATS helps recruiters spend less time chasing candidates and more time placing them. The result?

Jobs filled before the competition catches up

Better-quality matches

Happier clients

Stronger recruiter productivity

If you’re looking for how staffing agencies fill jobs faster, the answer isn’t more job boards—it’s smarter software.

Ready to Outpace the Competition?

Let us show you how COATS Staffing Software can help your team move faster and place smarter. Schedule a personalized demo today at coatssql.com or call 1-800-888-5894.