A recruiting service matches your skills with a permanent full time position. They are also called headhunters or executive search firms. Basically what they do is look for qualified candidates for different employers. Most of the time the employer pays the fee to the recruiting service and the recruiting service recommends you for the job if you are qualified. I guess this helps the employer to sort through applicants better. Some benefits for using a recruiting service are, you will get access to unadvertised jobs and the firm is working to match your skills with a permanent position.
Staffing services work a little differently. They often offer short term positions or temporary positions with the option of a permanent position if the employer decides to hire you. Staffing services have also been known as contract firms or employment agencies. If you are employed through one of these agencies, they will find another job for you when your short term assignment is complete. There are several benefits to working through a staffing service. These include gaining work experience, earning money while you look for permanent work, flexible hours, and sometimes employers will offer you a permanent position. This can also give you the option to check out different positions before you make a career decision.
This website, http://money.howstuffworks.com/business/getting-a-job/employment-agencies1.htm , in my opinion describes in detail how exactly employment agencies work.
This website, http://www.recruiter.com/i/recruiting-companies/, explains the different types of employment companies.
This website, http://www.careeronestop.org/jobsearch/findjobs/employment-agencies.aspx , provides tips for working with employment agencies.
For me, I actually think this may be a good option if I have not made a solid career choice by the time I am done with