Robert Half is one of the few specialized talent solutions companies that has devoted decades to bridging the talent gap in the accounting and technology fields. In 2022, this pioneer staffing firm took this initiative a step further by establishing a partnership program for aspiring cybersecurity engineers and accountants to land professional apprenticeships with its reputable partners.
As an aspiring tech or business professional who wants to learn how to navigate the current labor market while building in-demand skills, the Robert Half apprenticeship program should be at the top of your to-do list. Read on to discover Robert Half’s apprenticeship program tracks, Robert Half apprenticeship salary structure, the company’s apprenticeship hiring process, and current Robert Half apprenticeship reviews.
About Robert Half
Robert Half is a global specialized staffing and talent solutions company offering clients consulting, contract, and permanent placement staffing services. As a leader in the staffing and employment industry, Robert Half has an 11.04% market share compared to its competitors, according to CSI Markets. According to a 2022 Staffing Industry Analysts report, Robert Half is among the world's top ten largest staffing firms.
In 2021, it placed 177,000 engagement employees on assignment with clients. Robert Half’s corporate headquarters is in Menlo Park, California. It has over 14,600 employees and 321 staffing locations across 42 US states, the District of Columbia, and 17 foreign countries. As a diversity advocator, Robert Half’s global workforce comprised 55% of females as of 2021. Thirty-three percent Robert Half’s employees were from underrepresented groups.
Brief History of Robert Half
In 1948, Bob and Maxine Half founded Robert Half as an employment agency for accountants, making it the first specialized staffing service in the U.S. In 1973, Mr. Half, who graduated from New York University with a degree in accounting, launched Accountemps alongside his wife. This temporary staffing division helped promote the idea of temporary placement for accounting and finance professionals. The company also opened its first international location in London in the same year.
By 1986, the year Mr. Half retired, the company had established around 150 offices within the United States. When its new owner, Max Messmer, took over, he synergized the various divisions in favor of a centralized corporate structure. To achieve this, the company acquired all the offices it once franchised.
In 1990, Robert Half International Inc. was accepted into the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “RHI.” Between 1991 and 1994, the company launched OfficeTeams to provide administrative and customer support staffing to clients; Robert Half Legal to offer legal staffing, and the Robert Half Technology division. By 1997, the company had surpassed $1 billion in annual revenue, and in 2021, it recorded a total of $6.5 billion in service revenues.
1997 also saw the launch of a management resources division to provide interim management and project-based financial staffing to clients. The Creative Group was launched in 1999 to offer creative and design staffing but has now expanded to offer marketing talent solutions. By 2000, it became the first staffing firm in the U.S. S&P 500 Index. In 2002, Robert Half founded Protiviti, a global business and technology consulting company.
Between 2020 and 2022, Robert Half received accolades from top brands like Forbes, Bloomberg, Barron, FlexJobs, Fortune, and Great Place to Work for its efforts in diversity, inclusivity, gender equality, and professionalism. In 2016, Max Messmer, its Chairman & CEO, was inducted into the ASA Leadership Hall of Fame by the American Staffing Association.
What are Robert Half’s Mission, Vision, and Values?
Robert Half’s ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) mission is to help people find rewarding work and clients find the right talent to grow their businesses. Its goal is to adhere to the highest ethical standards when doing so.
For Robert Half, a strict set of ethical rules and codes of conduct form the basis of its operations. As such, all its employees must adhere to these four LEAD principles:
- Leadership by Example
- Ethics First
- An Openness to New Ideas
- Dedication to Excellence
Working at Robert Half also means embodying these core values:
- Integrity: Putting ethics first and doing the right thing in all situations.
- Inclusion: Fostering a culture of belonging where everyone can connect, thrive and grow.
- Innovation: Adapting, evolving, and investing to deliver new ideas and solutions
- Commitment to success: Empowering its people to drive the success of its clients, colleagues, and candidates and to better its communities.
What is Robert Half’s business model?
Robert Half has positioned itself as a facilitator of labor by educating and connecting employers of labor to seekers of labor. As a staffing and employment agent, Robert Half makes hiring decisions for employers across industries. It also ensures employers and hiring managers stay updated on the current trends and situations in the labor market. By providing consulting and managed business services, Robert Half eliminates the difficulty in obtaining, training, and retaining professional talent.
Robert Half offers branded solutions across the following specializations: business consulting, accounting and finance, creative and marketing, administration and customer support, legal, and technology.
What companies are Robert Half’s competitors?
Robert Half’s competitors are all global leaders in the staffing and employment industry, raking in the biggest annual revenues and diverse clients. Most of these organizations are headquartered in the United States. They include Randstad, Adecco, ManpowerGroup, Allegis Group, Recruit Hays, PERSOL Holdings, Aya Healthcare, and Outsourcing Inc.
What is the tech stack at Robert Half?
According to the report from G2 Stack on Crunchbase, Robert Half International uses about 60 technology products and services to conduct its IT operations. These products include HTML5, jQuery, and Google Analytics. Meanwhile, Slintel data also added the following tools: Spectrum, Prezi, HubSpot CRM, Net Suite, Conga Contract, and Conversica.
Robert Half Apprenticeship
History of the Robert Half Apprenticeship Program: How Did The Robert Half Apprenticeship Program Start?
In 2022, Robert Half launched and registered an apprenticeship program with the state of California and the U.S department of labor to tackle the labor crisis in the country and lower barriers to entering the corporate sector. Jorge Marquez, Senior Vice President for Robert Half and Program Leader for Robert Half’s Apprenticeship and Workforce Innovation Solution (AWIS), stated that “there are far more open jobs than there are professional skilled talents for those jobs.”
As a firm that works with different organizations to solve their talent needs, Robert Half understands its clients' challenges in attracting and retaining talent. It hopes this apprenticeship will be the solution they need. In 2022, Robert Half focused on nurturing and deploying talents in accounting and cybersecurity. It has the strongest expertise because it believed these two were among the fastest-growing occupations with the highest skill gap. However, in 2023 Robert Half will expand the apprenticeship program into web development, UX design, marketing, administration and customer support, and human resources, which are areas of high demand for its clients.
Robert Half's apprenticeship model is based on the contract-to-hire model, where it helps clients train a new workforce, usually from underrepresented cities. The benefit for clients is that they get workers whose skills have been tailored to meet the company's needs and whose loyalty is likely to remain with the organization for a long time. Robert Half believes the early adopter of this model will be large corporations. However, small and medium companies may adopt this apprenticeship model in the foreseeable future.
Program Length: How long is the Robert Half apprenticeship program?
Apprenticeship programs at Robert Half may span between 12 and 18 months; at the end, the apprentice may land a full-time job with one of its clients. Robert Half expects its apprentices to dedicate between 20 and 25 hours weekly. However, you can dedicate more hours if you've completed the required courses and certification for that apprenticeship track.
Program Tracks: What career tracks does the Robert Half apprenticeship offer?
Accounting Apprenticeship Program
This apprenticeship program is for candidates who want to leverage financial information to improve business positions. Accounting apprentices will build practical skills in entering data, processing account payables and receivables, matching invoices to orders, resolving vendor and customer purchase issues, managing ledger accounts, compiling financial data, and preparing financial reports.
Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program
Prospective cybersecurity apprentices must have a passion for this field and some background in identifying computer hardware and software vulnerabilities. If selected for the program, you'll learn to install and implement security measures and software to tackle cybersecurity risks and threats to computer networks. You'll gain hands-on experience evaluating new technology, performing penetration testing, gathering end-user feedback, and designing new security systems.
Administration & Customer Support Apprenticeship Program
Candidates who choose this track will be prepared for a digital recruiter role. These individuals must be passionate about sourcing talent and creating alternative career paths for others. Your responsibilities will include writing job descriptions, communicating with prospective candidates, and assisting with the screening and interview process. You'll also help the hiring team onboard new hires and conduct periodic quality control meetings with new talents. Proficiency in Microsoft office tools is essential.
Robert Half Apprenticeship Conversion Rate: How Many Robert Half Apprentices Become Full-time Employees?
Robert Half's apprenticeship is still in the early adoption phase, so there's hardly any data to use in making comparisons. However, the goal of its contract-to-hire model is to ensure that the apprentices end up as full-time employees after their skills have been optimized to meet the needs of a specific employer.
Robert Half Apprenticeship Compensation: How Much Are Robert Half Apprentices Paid?
Yes, Robert Half pays its apprentices an attractive salary per the industry standard. Cybersecurity apprentices earn between $20.81 and $24.09 an hour, and accounting apprentices earn between $17.10 and $19.80 per hour. As of 2023, a digital recruiter apprentice at Robert Half earns between $14.25 and $16.50 hourly.
Robert Half Apprenticeship Benefits: What Benefits Are Offered In the Robert Half Apprenticeship Program?
Candidates chosen for the professional apprenticeship will receive more than an attractive salary. Apprentices receive tuition to cover coursework while in the program. It also provides free access to courses, 70-hour bootcamp, and career readiness programs that can lead to badges. Apprentices receive professional and academic mentorship and federal and state certifications.
A career advisor also works with Robert Half's apprentices, clients, and partner schools to plan courses and monitor the apprentices' course progression to ensure program success.
Robert Half Apprenticeship Selection: How Are Cohorts Chosen?
Robert Half's apprenticeship model targets talents from underserved communities. Currently, it is working with community colleges and state universities in California–such as San Bernardino State University, West L.A. College, El Camino Community College, Coastline Community College, and Cal Poly Pomona–to recruit apprentices for its apprenticeship and workforce innovation program. These candidates will be given the opportunity to learn and earn at the same time.
However, you don't need to be enrolled in college to participate in the apprenticeship. You'll need to complete at least one course or certification in any apprenticeship track to be eligible for a Robert Half apprenticeship. Other requirements include being 18 years old or more, having a high school or GED, passing an apprenticeship track course, being in good academic standing and be enrolled in a participating college, being able to provide three academic references, and passing the required background checks.
Robert Half Apprenticeship Program Interview: Is the Robert Half Interview Hard?
Interviews at Robert Half have a difficulty rate of 2.3. If you're interested in landing an apprenticeship at Robert Half, you should regularly visit the Careers page to review open apprenticeship roles or attend career fairs at your school in the hopes of encountering the apprenticeship recruitment team. If you meet the job demands, you'll need to submit a resume, college transcript, high school diploma or GED certificate, and a certificate of completion in a related course as part of the application process.
A hiring team member will contact you for a phone screening if your application fits the profile. You don't have to worry about completing a technical exercise. If the recruiter is satisfied with your performance, you'll be invited for video and in-person interviews where you'll be asked questions about your experiences and your interest in the role. You should know that before an offer is extended, you'll need to provide three references and submit to a reference check. The hiring process may take an average of one to two weeks.
Robert Half Apprenticeship Cohort Size: How Many Apprentices Join in each Cohort?
For now, the apprentices are hired on a one-on-one basis. As of the 21st of April 2022, Clint Maples–Chief Information Security Officer at Robert Half–stated that the company had onboarded its fourth cybersecurity apprentice. However, if you want to join the apprenticeship program, visit the career page to review available roles. However, you must be enrolled in one of Robert Half’s partner schools. You should also attend job/career fairs at your school for a potential run-in with Robert Half's apprenticeship recruitment team.
Robert Half Apprenticeship Cohort Frequency: How Often is a Cohort Hired?
Robert Half's apprenticeship model doesn't include a cohort system. Apprentices are hired, one after the other, depending on the client's needs. However, Robert Half may provide a list of potential candidates for the client.
Robert Half Company Reviews: Is Robert Half a Good Company to Work For?
Yes, Robert Half is a good company to work for if you're passionate about working with global clients to tackle their talent needs. According to employee reviews from Glassdoor, Robert Half has a 3.9 out of five-star rating for employee focus, compensation & benefits, work environment, opportunities for advancement, job flexibility, and career training. Eighty percent of reviewers agree to recommend Robert Half to a friend, and 74% approve of the CEO.
Robert Half Apprenticeship FAQs
Does Robert Half apprenticeships have a good reputation?
Yes, Robert Half apprenticeships have an impressive reputation in the staffing and employment industry. It has received numerous accolades and awards from top brands such as Forbes, Fast Company, Fortune, and Blumberg for its professionalism, commitment to DEI, work-life balance, and more. You can visit the Robert Half Newsroom to learn more about Robert Half’s media reputation and influence.
Does Robert Half provide training?
Robert Half provides both professional and academic training to its apprentices. Each apprentice is provided a mentor, supervisor, and career advisor to help them transition properly. During the one-year period, apprentices receive certifications from the U.S. Department of Labor and the State of California. They also receive certificates and badges from boot camp training.
Is Robert Half a good recruiter?
Yes, Robert Half is a good recruiter. Several of its current and past job candidates have gushed about Robert Half's seamless recruitment process. Most candidates have noted that the recruitment team is friendly and accommodating. They've also noted that the hiring period is short, so candidates don't have to wait too long to receive feedback. Robert Half also encourages candidates to be vocal about their concerns, needs, and suggestions during interviews.
Stay In Touch with Robert Half: Are There Any Company Blogs To Follow?
The Robert Half Careers page and the Robert Half Blog is the best place to learn about the achievements of professional apprenticeships and workforce innovation solutions and the experiences of past and current apprentices, interns, and employees. The Robert Half Blog may also provide details on its plans for expanding the apprenticeship model.
You should visit the Robert Half DEI page to learn more about Robert Half's commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
Applying to the Robert Half Apprenticeship Program: How do I know when to apply?
You can get news about Robert Half apprenticeship programs from the Robert Half Job Seeker page.
If you don’t want to track and monitor the Robert Half apprenticeship program for yourself, or are looking for support in an apprenticeship application, you can join apprenticeship.io to learn more and get support to land an apprenticeship program.
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