Kennison Staffing Associates

This is BY far the worst staffing agency I have ever worked with. I worked with Megan Cuddy. If you need to make arrangements to take time off from your current job expect no call backs, HUGE lack of communication, and uncertainty in interview arrangements. If you have questions, don’t expect them to be answered until a week later. I feel as if she had way too much on her plate to follow through with any thing.
Also, after a third interview, a company wanted to check my references which I gave the recruiter to give to them. The company set up appointments with my references but did not go through with calling any of them. I found this information out through my reference when she called the company thinking their was an error on her part with her scheduled time. The company told my reference they didn’t need to reschedule because they decided to go with another candidate. I did not find this information from Megan (my recruiter) until ONE WEEK LATER AND ONE NIGHT BEFORE THE 4^th AND FINAL INTERVIEW. I highly doubt the company did not let Kennison (Megan) know last minute that they decided to go with another candidate one day before my interview because of her terrible communication skills and constant inaccuracy of information. Granted, I am not from the Boston area and had to make flight arrangements again for this second in person interview. Thankfully through the insight of my reference, I was able to cancel the flight a week prior. I sat back WAITING for that email or call from the recruiter giving me this information for an entire week knowing it was going to come. However, if I even attempted to call for clarification, there would be no call back.
I am currently working with other recruiters, one in particular who is highly professional and follows through, and calls back. So if the treatment I described is what you are experiencing I highly recommend you go elsewhere to a recruiting company that values your time.

I worked with Kennison Staffing Associates a few months ago and everyone at the office was extremely helpful in helping me to find what job worked best for me. At the time, I was coming from a startup and I wasn’t sure what permanent role would be best for me. Each and every person at Kennison took the time out of their day to meet with me and explain the position, the company, and was able to give me a very clear picture of what working there would be like. They had great connections with their clients and it was obvious when I was presented to the hiring manager they loved getting candidates from Kennison!
In particular, I worked with Cecily Brennan and Kim Armstrong for both permanent and temp jobs. If you are on the job hunt, or even just thinking about a career change I would advice actually going in and meeting with them so you can get a clear sense of all avialable jobs, and they can understand what is the best fit for you.

Sorry to rain on Cecily’s parade, but she reached out to me after a general resume submission and proceeded to cancel an appointment and not follow up.

SO happy I discovered Kennison Staffing! I worked closely with Cecily, she was absolutely fantastic. First, when I met with Cecily she was eager to understand what kind of job I could see myself at. Then she helped me with my resume to change a few things around (considering I was changing fields of work). She kept me updated throughout the entire job hunting process. It took a few weeks but it was WELL worth the wait. Cecily set me up on an interview with a DREAM JOB. I was super nervous but she was able to offer helpful pointers. I landed the job and it is EVERYTHING AND MORE than I was hoping for! ALL MY THANKS TO KENNISON ESPECIALLY CECILY! I HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Kennison if you are looking for either a temp or full time job!!!

I was leery of staffing/​recruitment firms, but heard Kennison were the most «decent» in the Boston area so decided to give them a try. (Not that being the most decent in a sea of sketchy recruitment firms necessarily means much).
I am currently employed, but need a change. I’m not in a huge rush to find anything, I can afford to be selective and not jump at the first thing just to have a job. I would just like something more challenging that also pays better. I applied to some jobs they had posted online (which I realize these are almost always «fake» jobs indicative of the kinds of jobs they usually get).
They reached out via email and were initially very excited about my resume and wanted me to come in and go over what I was looking for and what might be a good fit.
They were nice enough and seemed genuinely interested in helping out, but I got the feeling this was not going to be a match as soon as I went in. First, I was asked by receptionist if I had filled out the online questionnaire. My recruiter never sent it to me beforehand, so I wasted 30min filling it out. When I finally met my recruiter, the first impression was not great. She was super young and dressed like she worked at a doggie-​day care versus a recruitment agency for professionals. (Everyone else seemed to be dressed more appropriately. She was in leggings, sneakers and an over-​sized denim button-​up). I couldn’t help but think they just stuck me with some newbie. We engaged in some pleasant chit-​chat and she’d ask personal interest questions and then talk over me to jump to another question. I didn’t really feel like she genuinely wanted to know the answers and was just going thru the motions.
She then looked through her database of available jobs. One of the admin jobs available was actually «sold» to me as the company «just needing a cute pretty girl out front to greet clients… you know, it’s a traditional investment firm» *wink, wink* Um, yeah. I have a Masters. And also, this isn’t the 1950s. I’m not here to be some Mad Men secretary for some skeevy boy’s club. What the hell? Why would you even think that would be appealing to any woman? She seemed a bit disappointed when I didn’t jump at that. (Even her supervisor, who she brought in for assistance, mentioned that would be a horrible fit for someone with my qualifications when she suggested it).
There was another position that seemed possible… but they never actually told me the name of the company or sent a job description (despite promising the latter). All I knew was that it was an executive assistant position near where I lived and the salary met my asking price. They requested a copy of my resume for them to «tailor» before sending off (never saw a copy of this «new resume»).
At first, they were pretty responsive with me. And then I just stopped hearing from my recruiter for almost 2wks despite 3 – 4 emails in between checking up on the status. (She had previously mention to please reach out anytime for status updates).
Finally, I get a response and the excuse is basically «Well, we never heard from that company so that’s why I didn’t respond. Since we haven’t heard back I guess they’re not interested. We’ll keep you posted on other stuff if it opens up.» Um, okay, I get not hearing back from the company — but 4 emails from me go completely unanswered in between? Not even a «haven’t heard anything yet» response? SO incredibly unprofessional and sketchy. I’m pretty sure I will never hear from them again after her basically ending the email with a «don’t call us, we’ll call you» justification.
All in all, this experience was such a waste of time and was very much like the other 1 – 2 star reviews about them. Maybe if you have a very specific job skill set and career you’re looking to get into, they’re actually useful. Or maybe if you’re fine with being some company’s kewpie doll secretary you’ll find a gig through them. Otherwise, you’re better off on your own. Save yourself a T Pass and a wasted afternoon.

After a disappointing experience with Beacon Hill Staffing, I reluctantly reached out to Kennison hoping for a different experience. I worked with Amanda and everything was great! She listened to what I wanted, understood my qualifications and requirements, and never presented me a position that was less than the salary I asked for. She really invests in her clients and does an amazing job. Everyone I’ve interacted with at Kennison has been so friendly and helpful. I found the perfect job through them shortly after my initial interview. I highly recommend Amanda and the team at Kennison!

Very rare to have a staffing agency so pristinely and professionally managed. Peter is an unbelievable director and has outstanding agents. Sue and Cecily were extremely helpful in prepping me for my interviews. It was so great working with Cecily. She was a great listener and really made sure to accommodate what I wanted. She was always available anytime I needed her and went out of her way to keep me motivated. I recommend this agency to everyone as their is finally an amazing staffing agency in Boston. Highest respect to Peter for an outstanding agency.

First of all I want to start by saying how wonderful it was to work with Kennison Staffing Associates! I had a truly perfect experience with them, every step of the way. Mr. O’Connor mentored me through the entire job searching process. From reviewing my resume to helping me come up with a solid job description of what I was looking for.
After getting a better understanding of what kind of job I was looking for (I honestly went in not really knowing what I wanted for a job), then Mr. O’Connor helped me through the rest. He set me up with some of the most wonderful interviews with very good companies that I would have never been able to connect with by myself. I was nervous about the interviews but after speaking with Mr. O’Connor I always felt so much more confident in my abilities afterwards!
There is just so much that they offer, and I can’t even begin to explain what a wonderful company this is to work with. I had a chance to interact with Peter O’Connor and Sue Morash, and both were very respectful, kind, and very helpful people. The receptionist was also very friendly as well!
Mr. O’Connor would call and tell me about a few jobs that seemed to look like a good fit for me, and if I approved, he would connect me with an interview with someone at those companies. Then, he would kindly call a day or so before and have a helpful preparation conversation with some important things to know about the person/​company, how to answer sometimes difficult questions, and would tell me if the questions I prepared to ask were on the right track as well. After the interview, he would check in again and we would discuss the interview and my own feelings/​thoughts on the organization.
Then as soon as he heard anything from the company, he would let me know right away, and that was something that stood out to me, that he was so great with communicating and keeping me updated with any news or new jobs that might also be a good fit for me.
It only took me going through a few interviews to be placed with the exact job I didn’t even know I was looking for. After a few fits that weren’t exactly what I wanted but very close, then I knew when I found the job for me, and made sure I told Mr. O’Conner that I was particularly interested in this one, and he did everything he could to help me towards getting that dream job! I am absolutely thrilled with where I ended up, and I am extremely sure that I wouldn’t have hard that chance without the Kennison team!
I highly recommend anyone to come to Kennison Staffing Associates, and I think that you will be very glad you did!

I was employed at the time when I responded to an ad on craigslist. It happened to be Kennison. I went in and met with Amanda. Very nice and bubbly. For the first two weeks she called me and set me up with two interviews. I would call her after and tell her how I thought it went. One I was up for was a job I was more than qualitfied for and didn’t get it.
After those two weeks I never heard from Amanda again. No e-​mail, no phone call, no feedback from the interviewers about my interview. All this was back in November. Still no sign of Amanda. Needless to say if I decided to leave my job I won’t be going back to Kennison.
I thought going to a smaller company I’d get more attention but that is not the case and be contacted monthly if not weekly.

Went in and met with an «associate» — it was a pleasant meeting, but after a week, I followed up, they needed more info, so I provided it. They mentioned perhaps after the Independence holiday.
Ok, so I wait.
Now, it’s well past Independence day and have I received a follow up? nope. not one word to say that the position has been filled, not one email to ask what field or industry am I seeking a position… nada. zip. zero.
I’m sure there is a lot of talent in this town, as there are a lot of staffing firms, but by the service of this one, I would definitely NOT recommend this place.
I’ve heard good things about Robert Half — so maybe that is the place to go.

I interviewed for one job and then never heard back from them. Don’t waste your time!

I used Kennison about a year ago and had an overall positive experience with the firm.
I may be a little biased in my review because as a job-​seeker, I was already gainfully employed when I started using them and was looking for a job with higher pay/​better benefits, which after a few months was accomplished.
I think one thing people need to keep in mind when working with just about any agency is that, at the end of the day, you get what you pay for, and by that I mean, you aren’t paying them to find you a job, someone else is paying them to fill a position. They have more of an incentive from the employer to refer the right person for the position than they have to find you a placement.
With that said, I began working with Kennison in April of 2010 and by end of July I was placed in an amazing full time position. I went on three interviews prior to interviewing at my current job and while after some of them I felt like the jobs themselves weren’t what I was looking for and I didn’t really want them to make me an offer, it was good practice to get acquainted with meeting with corporate/​financial types.
I worked with Denise and she called me 2−3x a week as well as kept in good contact via email. She gave me great feedback after my interviews as well as prepped me prior to each one, giving me feedback she had received from other interviewees on what they had experienced etc.
I don’t have much experience with other agencies so I can’t compare them with others out there, I just know that in the end they helped me with exactly what I was looking for in a short amount of time.

Kennison was recommended to me by a friend, not because they found her a job, but because they were «nice» and on the surface appeared to be helpful. I had been in touch with Sue, who was extremely nice and empathetic to my frustrations, but ultimately ended up being completely useless. She never sent a single job my way, and essentially did nothing to help me find a new job. A quote from what turned out to be her last email to me: «I just don’t know what to do with you».
Talk about quitting on a client. Horrible.

If I could give zero stars, I would have.
Kennison has proven to be like every other staffing agency I have dealt with. My recruiter, Denise, was optimistic that she could find me a position quickly because my resume was solid and filled with unique experiences.
Well Denise, I’m waiting. Get off your high-​horse and help 20-​somethings struggling to get experience in this economy.
You suck.

I have to say, I was a little skeptical of Kennison at first — sometimes I’d go weeks without hearing anything from my recruiter, and a lot of the time all I would hear was «sorry, we don’t have anything that’s a good fit for you.» I was getting kind of frustrated with hearing this and was thinking that they weren’t really any good at what they did.
However, the reason you might not hear from them for a long while is that they honest to God are amazing at reading people and figuring out what kind of work environment will be best for you. The recruiters really do want you to end up in a work environment that you will like and that will be mutually beneficial to you and the employer. When I finally did get an assignment from Kennison, I clicked so well with the people at my new workplace, and I was very well suited to the type of work that was involved. The temp position went perm after only four weeks.
Now, if you’re looking to get into a specific field (especially right now), this might not be the right staffing agency for you. With the economy the way it is, I had to be open-​minded and flexible about the industries I was willing to work in. As a result, I’m working in a sector that I had never really considered before. I am certainly not doing my dream job — but it’s a lot better than being unemployed, and hey, I’ve got my whole life to get into the field I really want to be in. What matters most during this time of economic instability is that I mesh unbelievably well with the people at my new workplace. In that sense, the staff at Kennison & Associates are miracle workers.
I would recommend Kennison & Associates to anyone who’s looking for personal attention and wants to have their personality and interests kept in mind during their job search — but who is also flexible and open-​minded.

I dealt with a lot of staffing agencies this summer, and I figured out some important things.
1. Larger firms might have more jobs, but they most assuredly have more people signed up to compete for them.
2. Smaller firms probably have less jobs, but if they are doing the job right, they will give you much more attention.
Kennison is definitely on the small side of things, which means they almost never have temp assignments, and may only call you once a week about positions. Regardless, they sent me on the most amount of interviews of any agency. My recruiter was helpful and supportive (even after I came in second for god knows how many positions) and kept my interests in mind when sending out my resume.
Kennison was the agency that helped me get my job so I was definitely indebted to them, but my recruiter also sent me a coffee cake on my third day of work. I don’t know if that’s standard for their clients who get hired, or if it was just a nice gesture because I’m awesome — either way, it’s a step way beyond their competitors.

Shitty — my contact here sent me on an interview and neglected to tell me that the company wanted a multi-​year commitment. When I asked her, she somehow saw it as my fault for being «flaky». Interesting…

Kennison pulled the ol’ baiI & switch on me. I sent in my resume for the PERFECT job, and they called me immediately. I went in for an interview within the week, and lo and behold, the job had been «filled».
Did I have any referrals that I could send them? Was my current employer hiring? They’ll definitely keep my resume on file and will call me if I’d be a fit for any of their positions. Don’t forget to send over your referrals!
Wouldn’t ya know, my naïve self actually did send over 2 wonderful people, and they were only heckled for referrals & otherwise ignored, too. What’s the point?
Ed note: I have heard great things about the Owner/​President of the company, so she might just need to clean up her staff.

I have been working with a very attentive, very helpful recruiter. She is thorough and does a good job with pre-​interview preparation. She is also very honest and provides me with feedback about the interviews I have been sent on by her, and does not hide criticism; if I did something in an interview that was questionable and she is alerted to it, she will let me know so I do not make the same mistake again.
One issue I’ve encountered is that she had asked me to send her another copy of my resume in Word format so she can play around with it and send it to a particular place. My response was that she could certainly do so, but that I’d like to know what she changed and why, and to make sure I had a copy of what she changed, so I can make my online resume and my paper resume match. She was unable to tell me what she did. I found that to be a little unprofessional.
That aside, I appreciate that Kennison’s recruiters don’t do what many recruiting agencies do, which is give false hope and optimism, and send their applicants on jobs they’d never dream of wanting. The constant contact and feedback makes such a difference and I’m thankful to have found them. Makes a hard time a little bit easier.