Temp Agencies

[roxsam]

Has anyone ever worked with a temp agency? What exactly is it? Are they decent places to work with until you find another job?

It's too long of a story of why...but I really, really, really want to quit my job! The only reason I have stayed with it for as long as I have is b/c we need the money and it has great benefits. But I really can't take it anymore!! I am currently in the process of setting up a job at a vet where I will work as receptionist/in the kennel and have OJT to become a vet tech, but I have to wait for something to open in a month or 2. I also am going back to school (zoo animal program) in May and will keep the vet job (if it works out) throughout the program. I want the new job b/c 1. it will help me out in my future career, 2. is something I will enjoy a whole lot more than what I do now and 3. I HATE my current job! (yes I am thankful I even have a job, but there is only so much crap you can take from a job before it slowly kills you!)

But between quitting my current job (which I would love to put in my 2 weeks this week!) and starting the new one I still need to make money! My mom mentioned a temp agency, but honestly it just sounds kinda fishy to me!

So anyone have experience with these???

Thanks!!

 

[catlover19]

I worked for one once and will never do it again. They only gave me one job (and my fiance only one job too) and mine lasted 2 weeks and his one week.

The job they gave me was at a factory that makes frozen foods and I had to pay $35 for a physical first (which consisted of a couple of questions and the doctor pushed really hard on my stomach and almost made me sick). I clearly told them I was allergic to latex (it is not a bad allergy but still enough) and cannot wear latex gloves and they told me that they aren't latex. I wore them and after about a week, I started to break out in a really painful rash on my hands. I ended up having to go get it checked and take 2 days off until it was gone. When I went back and told them what happened all they said was "yes our gloves are latex, the non-latex ones are locked up in the office because they are expensive."

A day or two later I had hiccups really bad for about 3 hours and my chest hurt really bad and I asked if I could go home because it hurt so bad. The next day, I got a call saying I was done working there and thats the only thing they said.

My fiances job was in a factory that makes car parts. After about 5 days of working there he was really sick and throwing up a lot and had to call in. They called him the next day and told them he was done.

I am sure they aren't all that bad but after that experience I would never do it again.

 

[psjauntie]

I actually had two very good experiences with temp agencies, one job lead to full time for over 5 years, and then the other one lead to a job that I loved for over 7 years. The only reason i left was I was moving to FL. These were temp agencies that specialized with office workers, I know some of the other temp agencies aren't so great. Also with the economy the way it is, if you have a job with geat benefits, really think about quitting. I do know where you are coming from, I used to throw up everytime I had to go work, and really despised the woman I worked for. I hope whatever you decide you will find happiness at work soon.

 

[littleraven7726]

I've had some good experiences with Temp agencies. Just don't believe the temp-to-hire stuff. Every time I took a temp-to-hire job, they never hired.

 

[wingss2fly]

I worked for 2 different Temp places. Both of them in the oil refinery, I did office work at first. Made $7.50 per hour that was 1987, then I was sent out to a different place, and worked as a welders helper, and made $10.50 per hour. I did fire watch. That was really good money for a female. One time there was no work for what I did, and they sent me out as a pipefitter at $23.00 per hour. The foreman kept me outa site that day, until her could get me set up as office help......LOL
Not all temp places are for just office work. I liked working outside, plus making a real wage was cool, I was a single Mom.
K

 

[laureen227]

i've worked for temp agencies, as well [office work] & liked it just fine.

 

[roxsam]

Sounds like they can be good or bad depending on the company! I talked to my hubby when he got home and he said he didn't think they were good. I guess I have a hard decision to make...argh...
Although, on Thursday, we have a meeting to find out about some changes to our health insurance. I can't imagine the insurance getting any better (it is really good now), especially with a company this small and the economy, so if it is a bad change that might be the clincher right there!!!

Basically, my supervisor told me today that since my boss is an idiot (like really and truly, nobody else there would ever work under him), and he frustrates me a whole lot and things have not gotten better, that since she cannot fire him, and nothing else can be done to solve any problems that I need to make a decision if I want to continue working there or if I wanted to quit! She told me to let her know by Friday, which is funny b/c I have been looking for another job for a week. It just sucks b/c everybody wants him gone but only one person can fire him and he won't, so I am stuck putting up with his crap and I am the one who has to lose (quit) their job over this. Funny thing is, I bet the day I quit is the week he gets fired (he has had 2 assistants in the 2 year s he has been there...not a good track record!!). I am just sick of doing his work and mine, not getting the pay or respect for it, and then I have to be the one who is pushed out the door by his laziness/ignorance/irresponsibility.

Grrr, sometimes life is super frustrating and I never know what decision to make.
(sorry to turn that into a rant! I am super frustrated!)

 

[sharky]

I suggest signing up with many different temp companies .. I live near a good size city but many of the jobs were in the downtown area( ie pay was 10$ a hr and parking was 20$ a day )... Be picky if you can alot of the jobs you get there and the job is NOTHING like what the temp agency told you

 

[gailc]

Back in the mid 80's I worked for a temp firm for a couple of years. I had a long term assignment for about a year-boring but met some nice people. I also worked in a mill setting doing some interesting but not hard work. I also off and on worked at a sort of a catering place-they have trucks that fill vending machines with sandwiches that we made and trucks that stop a business with hot and cold food. Also not hard work.
I'm thinking of temp work this winter to keep me busy. I would check out a few places to see what they can do for you.

 

[calico2222]

Originally Posted by roxsam

Sounds like they can be good or bad depending on the company! I talked to my hubby when he got home and he said he didn't think they were good. I guess I have a hard decision to make...argh...
Although, on Thursday, we have a meeting to find out about some changes to our health insurance. I can't imagine the insurance getting any better (it is really good now), especially with a company this small and the economy, so if it is a bad change that might be the clincher right there!!!

Basically this sets off red flags for me, only because our company changed out health insurance. We were bought out last year by another company and health insurance for me and DH only cost $22.50/pay which was unreal! We thought it was too good to be true! Suddenly, we had a meeting where it was going to be raised to $122.62/pay with one pay period notice. That is a LOT when you've already budgeted that in. I would see wait and see what changes are made to your insurance before you make a decision.

Now, with temp agencies, I haven't worked for one, but DH has. The best thing with temp agencies (if you find a good one) is you will have experience in so many fields that it will help with future jobs. One job he was assigned at a radio station did pan out into a permenant job selling adds, which he loved. But, you can get experience doing billing, office work, selling, anything and all that puts you above anyone applying that has never done that in their lives. But, like I said, it depends on the temp company you are actually working for.

 

[belongstoevie]

My experience- bad. I had a job I hated. Despised. So I decided I wanted another one, any other one. But, since I couldn't afford to be unemployed, I tried for a bunch of temp agencies. Long story short, I got nothing. I went to bunches, they all told me I was great, I passed all their tests with flying colors, they had people interested in me... And I never got anything. At all.

They work for lots and lots people, so I'm not trying to discourage you. Just, if you need money like I did, I strongly recommend not quitting your job until you have somethign set up. No matter how terrible it is, IF you need the money, don't quit and depend on the temp agency to come through. Now if you've saved up and can handle it, by all means, quit first!

Good luck.

 

[krazy kat2]

I have never worked with a temp agency, but if you have health insurance on your current job, I would find a way to keep it. I never knew how important it was until I didn't have it any more.

 

[yosemite]

Temp agencies - there are good and bad. National agencies (like Kelly Girl here in Canada) are a good bet.

I've been between jobs and used agencies. The one thing I noted is that there are some folks out there that only ever work temp jobs for whatever reason, work for an agency for a long time, build up a reputation with that agency so that when jobs come in the agency is likely to give that person first shot at the job. That means you are at the bottom of the list as a new person registering with the agency. Regardless of how well you perform on tests, the proof for the agency is what their client (your employer) says about you and your work/work ethic.

If, as one poster experienced, you get a temp job and after a week or two you call in sick or need time off, chances are you won't be called in very often, if at all again. They need workers they can rely on to show up at their clients' business and who can be relied on to come every day for more than 1 to 2 weeks. After all, the temp agency's reputation is based on how well the person they send to their client performs. If their client is unhappy he will start using a new agency so bad performance on your part could lose the agency a customer.

Doing temp work through reputable agencies can get you some valuable experience (as another poster noted) in different areas and aspects of jobs so that when you are ready to get that full-time job, you have some impressive information on your CV.

But, having said all that, don't quit a full-time job for a temp job if you cannot afford a regular salary each week because with temp work there is no guarantee you will have an assignment this week or next week or whatever. There are also NO benefits so you would need to look into paying your own.

 

[mom of 4]

You can go COBRA with your insurance for 18 months in the US, after quiting. But you do have to pay the cost of the insurance. And it may be more than what you've been paying if the company paid for part of it.

If you really expect to get another job in a month or two, they I would stay where you are. I'm a nurse and if I went to a temp agency, I could work every day - the exception to the rule. But learning new rules, policies and procedures can be stressful.

 

[baloneysmom]

I worked for a temp agency for about 6 months. It was great for my lazy butt. I worked for about 1-3 weeks had a week off then started again. It was in Toronto and it was pretty busy. I loved it and hated it. I loved it because I did get paid decent money for doing nothing (around 10-17$). I got to meet tons of people, and see different job atmospheres (I learned almost everywhere people feel things are unfair). I hated it because it was boring, it was mindless work that no one else wanted to do because it was boring. I had one job for 2 weeks and all I had to do was answer phones… thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s it… 8 hours a day, staring into space doing nothing and answering a phone every hour or so… it was horrible. Maybe it was because I had put myself down for admin positions but every job I had was boring… but the week off and good money made it worth it… sort of like a catch 22.

 

[roxsam]

We do not have the money to have me without pay for any amount of time (we have had a lot of unexpected financial situations the past 2 months incl sick dog and my surgery) and right now are doing our best to get back to where we are comfortable financially. Thing is, with what my supervisor said about making a decision, I am not sure what to do. Do I tell her Friday I want to stay, then in 2 weeks quit when I find another job? That doesn't see right to me. If I tell her I am staying until I find another job she can force me to leave!

Well I am stopping by the vet clinic tomorrow to talk to the tech again, maybe I will find out something will open up in the next 2 weeks.

About the insurance, even if I switch jobs with no off-time in between I will most likely not have insurance for the first 90 days as that is how most jobs work these days. And that is a LONG 90 day period!!

I wish DH made enough for both of us where I wouldn't have to worry about this right now.

 

[cdubbie]

I actually made my living as a temp when I was fresh out of college and in a new city. I chose to do temp for two years; I wasn't interested in a perm job until I decided what I wanted to do with my future.

I loved the flexibility mostly - I could take or leave a job. There were some minuses - like, the temp agency treats you like garbage and will always support their client - no matter how out of line they are.

I received good paid training as an unexpected side effect and many perm job offers as a result of temping.

The best thing you can do is sign up for several agencies; usually once you have proven yourself a few times with the client you will receive more offers. I also noticed that wage compensation is very varied across the board. Another reason to shop around.

 

[deedeemay]

My experience with a temp agency was both good and bad. They did muck me about with work, and the constant phone calls each day that I had to find out when I was available did get annoying! (I worked with a health care agency)

I'm glad now that I have full time work outside of the agency, but for the first few days after I handed in my resignation to them, they were still calling or texting me to work! In the end I told them that I was no longer available...they took me off their books after that.

 

[sweets]

I've worked for 1 temp agency. They got me work right away at WONDERFUL pay. The 2 women who went with me were offered nothing. Once that job ended, I had no work for a month.

Sign up with several different agencies. But, remember, no benefits or sick/vacation/holiday pay is the norm.

 

[roxsam]

Well, I decided not to work with a temp agency. I will stick it out here (oh please help me!!) until I for sure have another job lined up. We just don't have the back up money for the days/weeks the temp wouldn't have a job for me. I am looking for a job that will help my future but if that doesn't work out, I think I will just look for anything that gets me out of where I am!!!


Has anyone been very frustrated at work and REALLY hated there job before(like this place makes me miserable!)? How did you stick it out until you found something else?

At least today is FRIDAY!!!!!!!