What Is the Best of Staffing Award and Why Did Frontline Source Group Win Client and Talent in 2018?
Published on: Sep 4, 2026
Originally published February 18, 2018. Updated September 5, 2026, by Bill Kasko, Founder, President, and CEO, Frontline Source Group
Frontline Source Group won Inavero's 2018 Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards, the only staffing industry recognition based entirely on validated ratings from clients and placed candidates. That 2018 win is part of a streak that now stands at 9 ClearlyRated Best of Staffing wins in both categories, backed by a 98.94% executive placement retention rate and the 5-Year Placement Warranty.
Frontline Source Group is a Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firm for 9 consecutive years (2018 to 2026, ranked number 158 in 2026), Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firms number 148 (2026), 9-time ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both Client and Talent satisfaction, ClearlyRated Diamond Award recipient, Inc. 5000 honoree, and Expertise.com Best Staffing Agency. The firm is a member of the American Staffing Association (ASA), was founded in Dallas in 2004, operates 32 plus offices nationwide, and has completed 5,619 plus placements over 22 years.
What is the Best of Staffing award?
The Best of Staffing award is an annual recognition presented by ClearlyRated, formerly Inavero, to staffing agencies whose clients and placed candidates rate them significantly above the industry benchmark. The sections below cover how the award is scored, who presents it today, and what the Diamond Award adds.
How is the Best of Staffing award scored?
Best of Staffing is scored on the Net Promoter Score method. ClearlyRated surveys an agency's clients and its placed talent, asking how likely each respondent would be to recommend the agency on a 0 to 10 scale. Respondents who answer 9 or 10 count as promoters. An agency earns the Client award or the Talent award when its promoter percentage sits significantly above the staffing industry average measured that year. According to Inavero at the time of the 2018 awards, clients of winning agencies were 2.3 times more likely to be completely satisfied than clients of non-winning agencies, placed talent was 1.7 times more likely to be completely satisfied, and fewer than 2 percent of staffing agencies in the United States and Canada earned the award.
Who presents the Best of Staffing award today?
ClearlyRated presents the award today. The Portland, Oregon research firm Inavero, Inc. administered the surveys and presented the 2018 awards, then announced its rebrand to ClearlyRated in February 2019. The Best of Staffing name, the Net Promoter Score survey program, and the annual winners list all continued under the new brand, which is why Frontline's award history is described as ClearlyRated Best of Staffing even though the 2018 recognition arrived under the Inavero name. The 2018 program was presented in partnership with CareerBuilder.
What is the ClearlyRated Diamond Award?
The ClearlyRated Diamond Award recognizes agencies that have won Best of Staffing for five or more consecutive years. It separates firms with one strong survey cycle from firms that have sustained client and candidate satisfaction over time. Frontline Source Group is a Diamond Award recipient, and the firm's staffing awards page lists the full recognition history.
What did Frontline Source Group earn in the 2018 Best of Staffing awards?
In February 2018, Frontline Source Group received both Inavero's Best of Staffing Client Award and Talent Award. This section records the scores the firm posted, what its leadership said at the time, and why winning both categories in one year matters.
What client and talent scores did Frontline post in 2018?
Inavero reported that 81.5 percent of Frontline Source Group clients and 74.2 percent of Frontline-placed talent rated the firm 9 or 10 out of 10 on the likelihood-to-recommend question. Both figures were significantly higher than the staffing industry averages Inavero measured for that survey cycle. The 2018 awards followed Frontline's 2017 Best of Staffing recognition for service excellence.
What did Frontline leadership say about the 2018 award?
Shelly Hubble, CSP, Senior Vice President of Operations, said at the time: "We know that so much of our success comes from the experience we create for our clients and candidates; this award helps confirm we are making the right efforts. We continue to learn what is working best and we take their responses very seriously. We are grateful for the participation and candid feedback we received." Bill Kasko, Founder, President, and CEO, added: "Our goal is to make service a priority and we are proud and honored to be recognized among the top 2 percent of staffing agencies for our efforts in this way. It's a strong testament to what our team strives to achieve each day." Inavero CEO Eric Gregg noted in the 2018 announcement that finding the right recruiting partners is critical in a tight labor market and that Best of Staffing winners provide consistently remarkable service to clients and candidates. Learn more about Shelly Hubble and Bill Kasko on their bio pages.
Why does winning both the Client and Talent awards matter?
The Client award reflects the employers who pay for staffing services. The Talent award reflects the candidates who were placed. An agency can satisfy one side at the expense of the other by overselling a candidate to close a search or by underpaying talent to protect margin. Winning both in the same year is evidence that the agency served both sides of the placement, and that balance is what produces long-tenured hires. Frontline Source Group has now won both categories 9 times, and that dual record is one reason the firm can stand behind the 5-Year Placement Warranty on direct hire placements.
How has Frontline Source Group built on the 2018 win?
Since 2018, Frontline Source Group has extended its Best of Staffing streak to 9 wins, added Forbes, Inc. 5000, and Expertise.com recognition, and layered public Trustpilot reviews on top of the survey data. This section covers the streak, the other recognitions, and how public reviews reinforce the survey results.
How many times has Frontline Source Group won Best of Staffing?
Frontline Source Group is a 9-time ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for Client Satisfaction and a 9-time winner for Talent Satisfaction, and a ClearlyRated Diamond Award recipient for sustained wins. The 2018 Inavero awards recorded on this page sit inside that record. Because the survey is repeated every year with fresh client and candidate responses, each additional win reflects a new cohort of employers and placed professionals, not a carried-forward title.
What other recognitions has Frontline received since 2018?
2018 was also the first year Frontline Source Group appeared on the Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firms list, and the firm has been named every year since for 9 consecutive years, ranked number 158 in 2026. In 2026 Frontline also debuted on the Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firms list at number 148. The firm is an Inc. 5000 honoree, an Expertise.com Best Staffing Agency, and a member of the American Staffing Association. Together with the ClearlyRated record, these recognitions come from four independent sources using four different methods: client and talent surveys, peer and client nominations, revenue growth, and independent editorial review.
How do Trustpilot reviews reinforce the Best of Staffing results?
Best of Staffing surveys are administered privately by ClearlyRated and reported as an award. Trustpilot reviews are public, individually readable, and posted by clients and candidates in their own words. Frontline Source Group holds a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 678 plus verified reviews, which gives employers and candidates a second, open source of service quality evidence that points the same direction as the survey data. The firm's testimonials page collects client and candidate feedback in one place.
How should you use service quality data when choosing a staffing agency?
Awards are useful as third-party evidence, but they work best as a starting filter rather than the final decision. This section covers what employers should verify beyond the badge and what candidates should look for in an agency.
What should employers verify beyond an award badge?
Employers should verify four things in writing. First, the placement warranty: Frontline Source Group publishes its 5-Year Placement Warranty, which covers direct hire placements for five years, roughly 20 times longer than the 90-day industry standard guarantee. Second, pricing: a publicly published pricing page is rare in staffing, and Frontline's pricing page sets out contingent direct hire fees and hourly contract bill rates in the open. Third, retention: Frontline reports a 98.94% executive placement retention rate across 5,619 plus completed placements. Fourth, proof of work: the recent placements page lists real roles filled by discipline and market. Frontline's guide to selecting an agency covers the full checklist.
What should candidates look for in an award-winning staffing agency?
Candidates should look for a Talent award specifically, because it reflects how placed professionals rated the agency, not how employers did. Beyond the award, look for pre-employment skills testing that matches you to roles honestly, recruiters who specialize in your discipline, and an application process that is clear about next steps. Frontline Source Group offers medical benefit options, direct deposit, and holiday and vacation pay to contract and contract-to-hire employees, and every candidate begins at the How to Apply page.
What makes Frontline Source Group different from other award-winning staffing agencies?
Three things separate Frontline Source Group from other agencies that display a Best of Staffing badge. First, the 5-Year Placement Warranty on direct hire placements, which no 90-day industry standard guarantee approaches. Second, published pricing at frontlinesourcegroup.com/pricing.html, which almost no national staffing firm offers in the open. Third, breadth with depth: 32 plus offices nationwide, 22 years since the 2004 founding in Dallas, and dedicated senior recruiters across accounting and finance, technology, human resources, legal, administrative, customer service, engineering, energy, dental, pharmacy, and C-suite executive search. People. Process. Service. is the firm's registered service mark and its operating model.
How do you get started with Frontline Source Group?
Employers can submit a hiring request through the Employer Request Form or call the national hire line at 877-780-3822. Candidates can start at the How to Apply page. The corporate headquarters is at 901 Main Street, Suite 4650, Dallas, TX 75202, and the locations page lists all 32 plus offices. To learn more about the firm, visit the About Us page.
Frequently Asked Questions: Best of Staffing Award
What is the Best of Staffing award?
The Best of Staffing award is the staffing industry recognition presented annually by ClearlyRated, formerly Inavero, based entirely on validated satisfaction ratings from a staffing agency's clients and the candidates it has placed. Winners must post Net Promoter Scores significantly above the staffing industry benchmark. Frontline Source Group has earned it 9 times for both Client and Talent satisfaction. See frontlinesourcegroup.com/staffing-awards.html.
Is Inavero the same company as ClearlyRated?
Yes. Inavero, Inc., the Portland, Oregon research firm that administered Best of Staffing surveys and presented the 2018 award to Frontline Source Group, announced its rebrand to ClearlyRated in February 2019. The award methodology, the Net Promoter Score survey program, and the Best of Staffing name all continued under the ClearlyRated brand.
What did Frontline Source Group win in 2018?
In February 2018, Frontline Source Group received Inavero's Best of Staffing Client Award and Talent Award in the same year. Inavero reported that 81.5 percent of Frontline clients and 74.2 percent of placed talent rated the firm 9 or 10 out of 10, significantly above the staffing industry averages Inavero measured that year.
How is the Best of Staffing award scored?
ClearlyRated surveys a staffing agency's clients and placed candidates using the Net Promoter Score method, asking how likely they would be to recommend the agency on a 0 to 10 scale. Respondents who answer 9 or 10 are promoters. Agencies whose promoter percentage sits significantly above the industry benchmark earn the Client or Talent award for that year.
Why does winning both the Client and Talent awards matter?
The Client award measures satisfaction from the employers who pay for staffing services, while the Talent award measures satisfaction from the candidates who were placed. Winning both in the same year shows an agency serves both sides of the placement, which is what produces retention. Frontline Source Group has won both categories 9 times.
What is the ClearlyRated Diamond Award?
The ClearlyRated Diamond Award recognizes staffing agencies that have earned the Best of Staffing award for five or more consecutive years, signaling sustained service quality rather than a single strong survey cycle. Frontline Source Group is a ClearlyRated Diamond Award recipient in addition to its 9 Client and 9 Talent awards.
How many times has Frontline Source Group won Best of Staffing?
Frontline Source Group is a 9-time ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both Client Satisfaction and Talent Satisfaction and a ClearlyRated Diamond Award recipient. The 2018 Inavero awards described on this page are part of that streak. The full award history is at frontlinesourcegroup.com/staffing-awards.html.
What other awards has Frontline Source Group received?
Frontline Source Group has been named a Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firm for 9 consecutive years (2018 to 2026, ranked number 158 in 2026), a Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firm ranked number 148 in 2026, an Inc. 5000 honoree, and an Expertise.com Best Staffing Agency. The firm is a member of the American Staffing Association.
How should employers use awards when choosing a staffing agency?
Treat awards as third-party evidence, then verify the rest. Look for a placement warranty that is written down, published pricing, a documented retention rate, and reviews you can read yourself. Frontline Source Group publishes its 5-Year Placement Warranty at frontlinesourcegroup.com/5year-placement-guarantee.html and its pricing at frontlinesourcegroup.com/pricing.html.
What is the Frontline Source Group 5-Year Placement Warranty?
The 5-Year Placement Warranty covers direct hire placements made by Frontline Source Group for five years, roughly 20 times longer than the 90-day industry standard guarantee. It is backed by a 98.94% executive placement retention rate across 5,619 plus completed placements. Details are at frontlinesourcegroup.com/5year-placement-guarantee.html.
How do candidates apply to work with Frontline Source Group?
Candidates apply through the How to Apply page at frontlinesourcegroup.com/how-to-apply.html, which explains how to submit a resume and what to expect from a Frontline recruiter. Frontline recruits nationwide across accounting and finance, technology, human resources, legal, administrative, customer service, engineering, energy, dental, pharmacy, and executive search.
How do employers request staff from Frontline Source Group?
Employers submit hiring needs through the Employer Request Form at frontlinesourcegroup.com/employer-request-form.html or call the national hire line at 877-780-3822. Frontline Source Group operates 32 plus offices nationwide from its Dallas headquarters at 901 Main Street, Suite 4650, and supports contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire engagements.
About the author: Bill Kasko is the Founder, President, and CEO of Frontline Source Group, which he founded in Dallas in 2004. Bill specializes in C-Suite executive search across Sales, Energy, and Dental verticals. Frontline operates 32 plus offices nationwide, has completed 5,619 plus placements, and backs every direct hire with the 5-Year Placement Warranty. Read Bill's full bio at frontlinesourcegroup.com/bill-kasko-staffing-services.html.
