employment agencies... what do you think?

marie-p · May 22, 2007

Has anyone ever dealt with a temporary work agency? What was it like?

I am meeting with one tomorrow. Since I am only looking to work for a year, temporary work would do fine... with some luck maybe they can get me a maternity leave replacement or something like that.
I wouldn't want to have to worry week to week whether or not I have a job though.

I might have a good chance of finding something good since I'm bilingual and have some experience.

Anyways, I'll keep looking other places too, of course.

samantha1979 · May 22, 2007

I think they are good. When I lived up north, the place that I ended up working at usually only hired through a temp agency. Then if you wanted to stay, they would make you full time. My DH works for Pepsi, and they only hire through temp agencies. Good Luck!!

phenomsmom · May 22, 2007

My boyfriend went through a temp agency here. I think they are fine. he ended up being hired permanent. It depends on the company mostly though so do your research!

mybabyphx · May 22, 2007

Me, my boyfriend, and our roommate -- we've all gone through these agencies before.

My boyfriend found a job with one pretty quick... (but he quit

)

I got a job with the same agency as my boyfriend. I worked there for a couple weeks, then they decided they didn't need me. The lady at the agency told me she'd call me as soon as she found something else for me.... Well, I had already found a job on my own. She just called me like 3 months later, asking if I was still looking for a job... UH NO! LOL

Our room mate just started up working for a temp agency. So we'll see how that goes..

The only thing I recommend, which you mentioned in your thread, always look for jobs on your own as well. It's hard to rely on someone else to find jobs for you because your not their first priority!

valanhb · May 22, 2007

I've had both good and bad experiences with them.

When I was looking for permanent positions, they would send me on temp jobs. When I was looking for temp jobs, they sent me on temp-to-hire.

One time they kept me in jobs the whole time. Another time (different agency), they didn't send me on anything worthwhile the whole time. But it was good to have that option to earn something while I was looking on my own too.

adymarie · May 22, 2007

Agencies in Ontario can be good (don't pick one you have to pay for). As someone who is bilingual, they should have no problem placing you on a lengthy contract. I have used them in the past (way in the past as I have been with the government now for 11 years). Be prepared for a lenghty time at the agency tomorrow while they assess you. There will be computer, typing and probably a language test.

Good luck

misty8723 · May 22, 2007

Some are good, some not so good. My experience was to sign up with all of them, and be selective. Sometimes they get pushy and annoyed if you don't want to take what they offer. I've had them send me on jobs telling me it was one type of work when it was really something I told them up front that I flat out didn't want to do (i.e., reception). I've also had them try to send me to long-term temporary assignments when I told them I wanted temp to hire.

I've been in my current job almost 15 years, and got it through a temp agency, so it does work.

marie-p · May 22, 2007

Originally Posted by adymarie

Agencies in Ontario can be good (don't pick one you have to pay for). As someone who is bilingual, they should have no problem placing you on a lengthy contract. I have used them in the past (way in the past as I have been with the government now for 11 years). Be prepared for a lenghty time at the agency tomorrow while they assess you. There will be computer, typing and probably a language test.

Good luck

Actually, I'm in Montreal, where bilingualism is much more common.
I called that agency because a friend of mine recommended it. She's not bilingual but they were still able to find her a job (which she didn't take because she got an offer elsewhere).
I know they'll do lots of tests. I'll be sure to have a good breakfast before going there. Maybe I should brush up on my job interview skills too.

adymarie · May 22, 2007

Originally Posted by marie-p

Actually, I'm in Montreal, where bilingualism is much more common.
I called that agency because a friend of mine recommended it. She's not bilingual but they were still able to find her a job (which she didn't take because she got an offer elsewhere).
I know they'll do lots of tests. I'll be sure to have a good breakfast before going there. Maybe I should brush up on my job interview skills too.

Don't worry too much about interview skills, just ace the tests and they will find you something. Wear something neat, yet comfortable as you may be sitting for a while. Don't drink too much before going or you will have to excuse yourself often for bathroom breaks. That's all I can think of for now.....I may chime in again later. BTW - did you see my suggestions for your coverletter?

marie-p · May 22, 2007

Originally Posted by adymarie

Don't worry too much about interview skills, just ace the tests and they will find you something. Wear something neat, yet comfortable as you may be sitting for a while. Don't drink too much before going or you will have to excuse yourself often for bathroom breaks. That's all I can think of for now.....I may chime in again later. BTW - did you see my suggestions for your coverletter?

Yes I did, thanks.

But after thinking about it, I think I'll only include the lab work if it's directly relevant. I don't want interviewers to ask me too much about the work, because I really didn't do that much (it was very temporary and part time).

Thanks for the advice.

catlover19 · May 22, 2007

I used one before and I got a job at a factory that produces frozen food for just over 2 weeks and then they let me go. It made me really mad because the reason they let me go was because I had to take 2 days off because they told me their gloves werent latex but it turned out they were and I had an allergic reaction.

The same company did a similar thing to my boyfriend. He was throwing up one day so he took the night off and they called him the next day and said he was done there. I have heard of that happening to a lot of people around here. I will never use a temp agency again.

mirinae · May 22, 2007

I've had fairly good luck with the temp agency I'm currently employed through; I've been working through them for a couple of years now, typically with long-term contracts. On the one hand it's great because I'm consistently employed; on the other hand, I'm a temp so I never get vacation days, sick days or health benefits, and, of course, there's no sense of permanency. I did get hired on "permanently" at one of my temp contracts, but they let me go (and to be honest, I hated working there, and I don't say "hated" lightly).

The key thing is, you have to constantly "badger" the temp agencies to find you work. If you're calling them every day, asking if there's anything available for you, they're much more likely to get you work just to get you to leave them alone. At least, that's how it's worked in my experience ...

lunasmom · May 22, 2007

I went through one for one summer in college. It was OK. I was actually looking for some more "glamorous" job like admin asst or something. Instead I was stuck in a File room. The people I worked with were all pretty good, but I didn't like the company I was hired at. I applied to a job there and got a phone call from HR.
This company's HR mocked me for even attempting to hire, basically saying why would I have even applied in the first place. It sucked, I was in tears since I'd never been treated that way before. Later I found out that myboss (at the company) and her were friends and my boss wanted me to stay right were I was. I left the company and temp agency shortly after that.

marie-p · May 22, 2007

update: I now have appointments with two employment agencies tomorrow. I wonder how that's gonna play out.

The second one actually called me (I had sent an application on monsters.ca to one of their available jobs). Pretty much the first thing the woman asked me was how much I was looking for in terms of salary. I told her what my minimum was, and she said "oh, we can get you more than that!"
actually makes me a little uncomfortable. Ok, I know I set my minimum relatively low (all depends on the working environment, really) but still... makes me feel like there's a catch somewhere.

Ah well, we'll see tomorrow.

muttigreemom · May 22, 2007

I've never gone through a temp agency as (unfortunately) my job is ridiculously specialized. I really have to deal solely with headhunters.

But both DH and one of my closest friends have had really good luck with temp agencies. DH is going on two years now at his current job, which was a temp to hire through an agency.

Originally Posted by marie-p

Maybe I should brush up on my job interview skills too.

Forget interview skills - they're really the biggest joke. Anyone who is in HR or has ever done any hiring can spot these 'skills' from a mile away. It makes you look like you don't believe in yourself. I know when I was hiring I had said that if I heard one more person tell me their biggest weakness was 'I'm a perfectionist' I was going to hurl. (I know that's probably not what you meant by skills, but I was just picking the worst of the worst as an example

)

All you need to do is:
1. Walk in as if you already have the job
2. Don't stare at your watch/the wall
3. BE YOURSELF! Anyone who ever spouted platitudes was immediately disqualified from whatever position I was hiring for. I wanted to hire people, not robots.

HTH! And lots of luck!!

marie-p · May 22, 2007

Originally Posted by MuttigreeMom

I've never gone through a temp agency as (unfortunately) my job is ridiculously specialized. I really have to deal solely with headhunters.

But both DH and one of my closest friends have had really good luck with temp agencies. DH is going on two years now at his current job, which was a temp to hire through an agency.

Forget interview skills - they're really the biggest joke. Anyone who is in HR or has ever done any hiring can spot these 'skills' from a mile away. It makes you look like you don't believe in yourself. I know when I was hiring I had said that if I heard one more person tell me their biggest weakness was 'I'm a perfectionist' I was going to hurl. (I know that's probably not what you meant by skills, but I was just picking the worst of the worst as an example

)

All you need to do is:
1. Walk in as if you already have the job
2. Don't stare at your watch/the wall
3. BE YOURSELF! Anyone who ever spouted platitudes was immediately disqualified from whatever position I was hiring for. I wanted to hire people, not robots.

HTH! And lots of luck!!

Thanks!

I was always told before to practice interview skills, but you're right... what worked best for me was to be myself. If the employer doesn't like it, then I don't want to work for them.

Plus I got 28 years of practice at being myself and I'm getting pretty good at it.

employment agencies... what do you think?

marie-p

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samantha1979

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phenomsmom

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mybabyphx

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