After ten months of looking for a job in my field, after submitting 50+ resumes and getting one interview, I’m considering applying to a temp agency.
I figure I’m not getting interviews because I don’t have much office experience, and what I do have is 6 years old. (To ward off more explanations, yes, I do have a very well written resume, and my cover letters are top-notch.)
Now, I’ve read many of the horror stories posted here at the SDMB, and I am suitably scared, mostly because I don’t like office work and office politics. I’m also scared of becoming an underpaid secretary with a $20,000 education the way my sister has. But currently I’m shiftless and unemployed, with a $20,000 education.
Should I temp, or should I keep slogging through the few job ads I see that I’m qualified for? Are non-techie temp jobs mostly clerical/secretarial/bookeeping jobs, or are there positions for tech writers/proofreaders/copyeditors? How’s the climate; will I be frowned on because I don’t have a car? What should I look for in an agency?
Do it! Temping is an excellent way to build up your resume. And it makes you look like you want to work.
No car? Could be bad if your public transportation sucks. Otherwise, no big problem. But make absolutely sure that it does not become a problem. Temps are easy to fire. (Why do you think think they call them…)
Secretaries around here are paid rather well, including temps and especially at larger companies. Small companies will try to screw you.
Play up your typing and computer skills. Surprisingly, there are still lots of people who are unable to open a file. If you speak another language tell them. Office politics can be fun–read a book like “Work would be great if it weren’t for all the people.” You don’t have to be a player to enjoy them when you know what to look for, and the simple forms of politics are nothing more than getting along with people. But you’ll find jerks anywhere.
While I don’t know you all that well, you have a good history here and I’m sure you can find a reference here if you need one.
I’d say “do the temp thing” BUT. also make it a point to continue with your professional job search at least one day a week. on Sundays, go through ads etc mail out resumes cover letters etc., make sure you follow up on any calls/interviews etc.
Keep the job seek a priority with you. I’ve seen too many folks get bogged down in taking care of the immediate bills so that they loose sight and energy for getting ahead.
I’ve done temp work before and it was okay. Same as any other job really. My main complaint was that I was placed in one of those “we don’t want to pay benefits, but we want a long term employee” type jobs.
The temp agency I worked for offered classes in most of the major computer programs and you could also sign up for practice time on their computers. I think that’s very common in the larger agencies.
They did ask if I had transportation, but a lot of the people I worked with did not have cars and they either carpooled or took the bus. If you are in an area with good public transportation, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Have you thought about freelancing? Right now, I hire myself out as a Jill of all trades, doing mostly newsletters, transcriptions and other odd jobs. Even here in Germany, where I barely speak the language and have no work permit, I’ve been able to find work, so you probably could, too.
If you temp, minimize the amount of time you spend doing it. I temped for way too long, and when potential employers saw all the temp jobs on my resume, they assumed that all I wanted was a short-term job. Even when I told them otherwise.
Try to accept ONLY temp-to-hire positions, and do NOT trust the temp agency, no matter how nice they seem. Give them restrictions on pay and job type, and stick to your guns on them. Don’t cave in and take a crummy assignment, because they’ll assume that other crummy jobs will be ok for you and you’ll stop getting good ones.
Also watch out for companies that treat their temps like non-people. You’ll never get hired from at temp job at one of those.
Other than that, you’ll get great job experience at some really well-respected companies if you play your cards right.
I noticed you said your chosen field was tech writers/proofreaders/copyeditors. I’m in need of a copywriter/editor right now. If you want to live in Florida, e-mail me your resume!
Zilla–would you be interested in a disillusioned English Ph.D. student? Temped as a tech writer/document specialist one summer, published a poetry/fiction/photography alternative newspaper, taught Freshperson Composition for 7 years. Lord, can I proofread
I’ve done temp work in a variety of fields, ranging from technical writing to secretarial work. There’s nothing wrong with temping, and no shame in working on a temp job to put food on the table.
Look for a long-term temp job, not a week-to-week one. Ideally, you want something that will eventually hire you, but that may be hard to find (temp agencies make it difficult for companies to hire their workers, usually asking for a big payment that discourages permanent hiring).
Don’t worry about how it looks on a resume; there’s no rule that a resume has to include all your jobs in chronological order. And keep looking for a full-time job while you’re temping.
Register with several agencies. Your best bet may be an agency that places technical workers instead of Manpower or the like (if you work for them, then a lot of temping experience can look good). If you don’t like the assignment offered, turn it down.
Thanks, Dogzilla, but I’m stuck in LA until my husband finishes his PhD. It’s a shame, really, because I have my resume on Monster.com and I keep getting e-mails from people in San Francisco saying, “We need proofreaders!!!”
I think I’ve pretty much decided to do this, because I’m tired of being poor, and my husband’s stipend only manages to pay the rent. I’m fairly excited about temping, actually, but I still feel like I might be getting farther away from my dream of working in publishing.
The car thing - in New York it is AGAINST THE LAW for you to be discriminated against due to lack of transportation. The interviewer is not allowed to ask the question. IMHO, don’t even bring it up, and meanwhile check your state’s law regarding that.
Temping is a great way to meet contacts in business. I agree with RealityChuck about registering with a lot of temp agencies.
My last stint of unemployment I registered with no less than 7 temporary agencies. I eventually landed a great job, and I had atemp to perm job that was acceptable as a backup. In Kansas City, you cannot get a decent clerical position without going through the temporary agencies.
I am now the Executive Assistant to the owner of a small software consulting firm. I received a substantial raise and increase of responsibilities. The job I have was open for three months and was never once put in the newspaper. The owner relied exclusively on word of mouth, and eventually was contacted by one of the temp agencies I was with.
One month, four interviews, and a lot personal phone calls at my temp-to-perm job through another agency, I finally landed the job I have wanted for a long time.
I say temp. It produced good results for me. My problem is that I don’t interview very well, but I have never left a temp position without an offer for a permanent job.
Someone above said not to take crappy jobs from the temp agency. I agree with this except that you should take a crappy job if it meets two requirements:
It is reletively short term; and
It is the first job they have placed you for
It has been my experience that a temp agency will put a new employee on at least one less than ideal job to start so that they can make sure you aren’t a complete flake.
When you leave any temp position try to have a brief exit interview with your supervisor at the company. Tell them what kind of permanent work you are hoping to do and ask them if they can help. If they are happy with you but can’t help with permanent work, ask them to provide your agency with good comments.
The agency will receive a substantial fee if you are permed, so they will be more eager to put you on good jobs if they think you will be easy to perm.
IMHO this is just silly. I temped for two years, and NONE of my jobs were temp-to-hire, and I still got offered permanent positions at just about every place I spent more than two days at. If they like you enough they’ll find a job for you - or at least keep you in mind for when a permanent position does open up.
My advice would be:
Sign up with at least three agencies. You’ll have more job options, and if one agency does turn out to be sleazy, you can just stop using them without having to start all over again.
Get a pager or, better, a mobile phone. Agencies won’t hold a job for you until you can phone them back.
If you do find a temp job you want to stay at, let your agency know. They’ll do what they can to keep you there because they’ll get a big placement fee.
All good agencies have some sort of computer training program. Take advantage of them if you can. However, you’ll get lots of on-the-job training as well.
I’m temping with a great agency here in Chicago - I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up and it’s been a great way to check out the job environment in a new city.
Some tips: Ask for the hourly pay that you want, and ask high. I asked for at least $15/hour and am getting it, I walked out of agencies who couldn’t do that for me.
Be specific about the kind of jobs you want to do and the industries you want to work in. I told them I wanted to work in something creative - dot.com or ad agency, and lo and behold I’m in an ad agency and interviewing for permanent positions. Lots of times temp agencies will cater to a certain kind of client - try to find one that places people in publishing, PR, advertising, web content etc. where your literary experience will be most valued. I’ve got a bunch of friends who went out to LA recently, and the job market is supposed to be sizzling for smart people who can write.
