Real Answers from Real Dallas Recruiters
Featuring: Harmony Potts, Recruiting Assistant at PrideStaff Dallas
Meet Harmony Potts
Harmony Potts is a Recruiting Assistant at PrideStaff Dallas who brings a unique perspective to the new grad job search. Before joining the staffing industry, she worked in customer service and as an office assistant, two of PrideStaff’s specialties. She’s been on every side of the hiring process: as a job seeker using staffing agencies to find work, as a hiring manager filling positions, and now as a recruiter helping candidates launch their careers.
“This is something that I love about staffing agencies. I have used staffing agencies not only myself as somebody looking for work, but also as a person hiring for filling positions. And now I am working at a staffing agency.”
Connect with Harmony on LinkedIn.
How Do I Get Hired in Dallas with No Experience?
Use a staffing agency to get your foot in the door through temp or temp-to-hire positions. These roles give you real work history to put on your resume while you’re still building your career.
If you’re a recent graduate in Dallas, you’re in one of the country’s fastest-growing job markets. According to JLL’s 2025 Talent Hubs Report, Dallas-Fort Worth is now a top 10 city for attracting recent college graduates, driven by a surge in corporate relocations. The metroplex added 46,800 jobs in the past year alone. But nationally, entry-level hiring is down 16% from last year and 44% below 2022 levels, according to Gusto research. The opportunities are here, but so is the competition.
That’s the reality for new grads everywhere: even when opportunities exist, you still need experience to land them. Temp and temp-to-hire positions are how you break through.
Why Is It So Hard to Get Hired Without Experience?
Here’s a stat that might feel frustratingly familiar: According to a survey by Hult International Business School, 98% of employers say their organization is struggling to find talent. But nearly 89% also say they avoid hiring recent graduates, with 60% citing a lack of real-world experience as the reason.
Read that again. Employers desperately need people, but they won’t hire new grads because new grads don’t have experience. It’s the classic catch-22. You need experience to get hired, but you need to get hired to gain experience.
This is exactly why staffing agencies exist.
Is Temp Work Worth It for New Graduates?
Many new graduates hear “temp work” and feel hesitant. Harmony addresses this directly:
“I know that temp to hire or temporary positions may sound a little scary. But they definitely help with resume building.”
Here’s what temp positions actually do for your career:
- Build immediate work history. Every week on assignment is another week of professional experience on your resume.
- Test different industries and roles. Not sure if accounting is really your thing? A temp assignment lets you find out without a long-term commitment.
- Get paid while you job hunt. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average job search takes over 20 weeks. Temp work keeps income coming in while you search for your ideal role.
- Convert to permanent. Many temp-to-hire positions turn into full-time offers when you prove yourself.
And here’s another reason experience matters: NACE research shows that recent graduates who participated in experiential learning earn an average of $59,059, compared to $44,048 for peers without internships or work experience. That’s a $15,000 difference in starting salary.
How Can a Staffing Agency Help Me Get Hired in Dallas?
The biggest advantage of working with a staffing agency? Access to employers who are specifically open to hiring new graduates for their first job.
“Part of my role as a recruiting assistant is reaching out to you to discuss what your goals and your ambitions are as far as your job search is concerned. And then that way, we can take any skills that you may have learned during your education and get that transferred over to the workforce.”
At PrideStaff Dallas, Harmony and the recruiting team work with clients across Irving, Las Colinas, Richardson, Plano, and Addison who understand that new graduates bring fresh perspectives and energy. These employers aren’t looking for 10 years of experience. They’re looking for the right attitude, trainable skills, and someone who’s ready to learn.
And the best part? It costs you nothing. Staffing agencies are paid by the employers, not the job seekers.
What Should I Put on My Resume as a Recent Graduate in Dallas?
The short answer: Skills from education, volunteer work, clubs, and extracurricular activities. Employers care less about your GPA and more about what you can actually do.
This is one of the most common questions new graduates ask, and Harmony tackles it head-on:
“The job market, especially now, can feel daunting and it can feel overwhelming. However, as a recent graduate, usually you will have learned skills via your education, volunteer work, clubs, or any other extracurricular activities you did during your time in school. These are valuable.”
What Do Dallas Employers Want on a New Grad Resume?
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job Outlook 2025 survey, here’s what Dallas employers and hiring managers nationwide are scanning for when they review new grad resumes:
- Problem-solving skills – nearly 90% of employers
- Teamwork skills – over 80% of employers
- Communication skills – over 75% of employers
- Strong work ethic
- Technical skills relevant to the role
Notice what’s not at the top of that list? GPA. In fact, only 38% of employers now use GPA as a screening tool, down from 73.3% in 2019. Nearly two-thirds of employers report using skills-based hiring practices instead.
How Do I Show Experience When I Haven’t Had a Job?
You have more experience than you think. Here’s how to reframe what you’ve done:
- Group projects become evidence of teamwork and collaboration skills.
- Class presentations demonstrate communication and public speaking abilities.
- Research papers show analytical thinking and attention to detail.
- Club leadership proves you can organize, delegate, and take initiative.
- Volunteer work demonstrates reliability and commitment.
- Part-time jobs, even unrelated ones, show work ethic and professionalism.
Harmony emphasizes that lacking traditional work experience isn’t a dealbreaker:
“Usually as a new graduate, you do not have a lot of work experience, but that is totally okay. That is part of what we do here at PrideStaff. We do have quite a few clients who are open to working with new graduates.”
Should I Work with a Recruiter as a New Grad?
One of the biggest advantages of working with a staffing agency is having someone in your corner who knows how to present you to employers.
“We definitely want to show the employers everything that you are capable of. That way we are able to present the best version of you.”
A recruiter can help you identify transferable skills you might overlook, match you with roles that fit your background, and advocate for you with hiring managers who might otherwise skip past a thin resume.
Why Harmony’s Advice Works
Harmony isn’t just reciting talking points. She’s been exactly where today’s new graduates are.
She’s used staffing agencies to find her own work. She’s sat on the other side of the desk trying to fill roles. Now she spends every day helping Dallas job seekers navigate the same challenges she once faced.
That triple perspective, combined with PrideStaff’s 25+ years in the Dallas market, means she understands what works for both candidates and employers.
Key Takeaways for Dallas Job Seekers
- Don’t wait for the “perfect” job. Temp and temp-to-hire roles build real experience while you search.
- Your education counts. Skills from classes, clubs, and volunteer work belong on your resume.
- GPA matters less than you think. Focus on demonstrating problem-solving, teamwork, and communication.
- Work with a recruiter. They know which Dallas employers are open to new grads and can present you effectively.
- It’s free. Staffing agencies are paid by employers, not candidates.
Ready to Launch Your Career?
PrideStaff Dallas works with employers across Irving, Richardson, Plano, Addison, Las Colinas, and throughout the metroplex who are actively hiring entry-level candidates.
Connect with Harmony on LinkedIn or reach out to PrideStaff Dallas to discuss your job search goals. Let’s get you started.
Video Transcripts
How Do I Get Hired in Dallas With No Experience?
This is something that I love about staffing agencies. I have used staffing agencies not only myself as somebody looking for work, but also as a person hiring for filling positions. And now I am working at a staffing agency.
My name is Harmony. I am a recruiting assistant. I have been in the industry with PrideStaff for nine months.
The staffing agency is definitely able to start launching you into your career. Temp to hire positions, temporary roles, are a great way to get work history on your resume.
That is something that I love assisting with here at PrideStaff. Part of my role as a recruiting assistant is reaching out to you to discuss what your goals and your ambitions are as far as your job search is concerned. And then that way, we can take any skills that you may have learned during your education and get that transferred over to the workforce.
I know that temp to hire or temporary positions may sound a little scary. But they definitely help with resume building.
What Should I Put on My Resume if I Am a Recent Graduate?
That is a fantastic question. The job market, especially now, can feel daunting and it can feel overwhelming. However, as a recent graduate, usually you will have learned skills via your education, volunteer work, clubs, or any other extracurricular activities you did during your time in school. These are valuable.
Usually as a new graduate, you do not have a lot of work experience, but that is totally okay. That is part of what we do here at PrideStaff. We do have quite a few clients who are open to working with new graduates.
We definitely want to show the employers everything that you are capable of. That way we are able to present the best version of you.
It is free. We love helping and we want the best possible outcome for you.