Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Has anyone ever used the services of 'labour ready' or other temp employment offices?
And how was your experience?
I've gone to labour pools before...and I can never understand why the people behind the desks are so 'prude'....
The good thing about labour pools is if you need cash daily, but don't want perminant work...maybe your waiting for another postition to open up somewhere else...
But you really gotta humble yourself to go to these places...needless to say, many who attain employment at labour pools can't get hired anywhere else do to criminal records or chemical addictions, or mental issues...
And when you walk into a place like this, your treated just like everyone else...they assume because your there, you must be socially 'beyond repair'...and so they treat you as such...
I can be hard to endure, expecially when you know what your worth...but it's as if they do their best to strip you of every last bit of dignity that you have....
None the less, you have to remind yourself your not there for them, but for yourself...and often, once you get on the job, if you stand out enough, the employer will request you for perminant work...
Sometimes you gotta go through the bad, to get to the good...anyhow just my thoughts...
Who in the heck wants to do back breaking work with no benefits and no promise of a steady paycheck if they can do better
You answered your own question when you describe the typical labor pool candidates ( I know, I was one of them). Getting up @ 3:00 am, to try to get there early to wait around with other homeless and vagrants, not even sure to get an assignment, for just enough for gas and "cigarette" money, and deal with people who could give less than a rat's patootie about you is something I would never go through again voluntarily.
Yes, it's hard to do, very hard...when I was younger, I didnt mind as much, the few times that I went...but now, it's hard...I always tell myself 'i can do this'....but when the following morning arrives...I just can't...
But I might have to, to get by...but ye, you described it well...
Who in the heck wants to do back breaking work with no benefits and no promise of a steady paycheck if they can do better
You answered your own question when you describe the typical labor pool candidates ( I know, I was one of them). Getting up @ 3:00 am, to try to get there early to wait around with other homeless and vagrants, not even sure to get an assignment, for just enough for gas and "cigarette" money, and deal with people who could give less than a rat's patootie about you is something I would never go through again voluntarily.
I imagine this was true of Labor Ready a few years ago (it's essentially a corporate, "legal" version of those "day laborer" guys who gather on the street corner every morning), but in this economy, I wouldn't be surprised if the pool of people who go there has "expanded" so to speak.
I imagine this was true of Labor Ready a few years ago (it's essentially a corporate, "legal" version of those "day laborer" guys who gather on the street corner every morning), but in this economy, I wouldn't be surprised if the pool of people who go there has "expanded" so to speak.
Maybe it depends on the part of the country you are in. This was in Orlando back in 2006-2007 so it wasn't that long ago. Most of the jobs available were construction jobs, some skilled, mostly cleanup work and digging trenches. Backbreaking work in the hot Florida sun. Maybe the worker base has expanded, but you have to be out there at least by 4:00 am, and most of the available slots go to the "regulars"
Has anyone ever used the services of 'labour ready' or other temp employment offices?
And how was your experience?
I've gone to labour pools before...and I can never understand why the people behind the desks are so 'prude'....
The good thing about labour pools is if you need cash daily, but don't want perminant work...maybe your waiting for another postition to open up somewhere else...
But you really gotta humble yourself to go to these places...needless to say, many who attain employment at labour pools can't get hired anywhere else do to criminal records or chemical addictions, or mental issues...
And when you walk into a place like this, your treated just like everyone else...they assume because your there, you must be socially 'beyond repair'...and so they treat you as such...
I can be hard to endure, expecially when you know what your worth...but it's as if they do their best to strip you of every last bit of dignity that you have....
None the less, you have to remind yourself your not there for them, but for yourself...and often, once you get on the job, if you stand out enough, the employer will request you for perminant work...
Sometimes you gotta go through the bad, to get to the good...anyhow just my thoughts...
I signed up when I was home from college in the summer because it was hard getting summer jobs and I didn't experience bad treatment until I arrived to whatever place they sent me to.
Maybe it depends on the part of the country you are in. This was in Orlando back in 2006-2007 so it wasn't that long ago. Most of the jobs available were construction jobs, some skilled, mostly cleanup work and digging trenches. Backbreaking work in the hot Florida sun. Maybe the worker base has expanded, but you have to be out there at least by 4:00 am, and most of the available slots go to the "regulars"
In Philly you had to be there at 6am. The Best job I ever got was from Labor Ready was assisting with props in a TV studio. I think it's about the vibe you give when you first go there. If you speak well and look motivated to work then you will get you a nice assigment. If you look like you are there for just cigarette money, they are going to give you cigarette money assignments.
Has anyone ever used the services of 'labour ready' or other temp employment offices?
And how was your experience?
I've gone to labour pools before...and I can never understand why the people behind the desks are so 'prude'....
The good thing about labour pools is if you need cash daily, but don't want perminant work...maybe your waiting for another postition to open up somewhere else...
But you really gotta humble yourself to go to these places...needless to say, many who attain employment at labour pools can't get hired anywhere else do to criminal records or chemical addictions, or mental issues...
And when you walk into a place like this, your treated just like everyone else...they assume because your there, you must be socially 'beyond repair'...and so they treat you as such...
I can be hard to endure, expecially when you know what your worth...but it's as if they do their best to strip you of every last bit of dignity that you have....
None the less, you have to remind yourself your not there for them, but for yourself...and often, once you get on the job, if you stand out enough, the employer will request you for perminant work...
Sometimes you gotta go through the bad, to get to the good...anyhow just my thoughts...
Here in Plattsburgh NY, "Labor Ready" closed their doors due to a bad economy. I'm also registered with "Westaff". They're still open but since I receive no phone calls, I know it's slow there too. Never anything when I call them either. Westaff isn't a place you hang-out at in the morning. They're a LITTLE more prestigious. If one can say that about a temp. service. Good luck to us all.
P.S. I do however have a profession. But times are tough. Again, good luck to us all.
Last edited by shroombeanie; 03-02-2010 at 07:24 PM..
In Philly you had to be there at 6am. The Best job I ever got was from Labor Ready was assisting with props in a TV studio. I think it's about the vibe you give when you first go there. If you speak well and look motivated to work then you will get you a nice assigment. If you look like you are there for just cigarette money, they are going to give you cigarette money assignments.
Yes I experienced that as well. I'm 40 and motivated with a profession. I was given the better assignments. I was not the only one. There were as of late (before Labor Ready in Plattsburgh NY closed) a 50/50 ratio of cigarette people to motivated people. It's tough for everyone.
Labour ready is one of those things, where the night before, or day before, when your warm and alert and your mind and motivation are full steam, you tell yourself 'Labour ready, ahh, no big deal'...
But then the next day or cold chilly morning, you give yourself 100 reasons why not to go there...
I thinks it's the waiting around that gets me the most...It would be nice if they could call you on your cell phone....and you could go from your place of residents, directly to the job site....
It's the whole checking in thing that turns me off....
And the 'Hey, man do you got a cig I could bum'...type interaction you get...
If your 'together', people tend to feed off of that.
Usually if your at a juncture where you need to utilize labour ready, your looking for inspiration and hope...going to labor ready feels kinda like 'the ghost of x-mas future'....
As if there's a voice in your head saying..'This is what you are to become, look around you....you will end up just like those here....'
Then you snap out of it...
Funny thing is though, when I was younger, I just didn't care...
With youth comes a certain resiliance to those kinda things or self suggestions...
I hate walking in to those kinds of placing and being on the recieving end of long zombie like stares...that doesn't help either...everyone slouched over in the few chairs they may have...
And a few are there just to take advantage of the heat and coffee....it's a mixed bag...
Then your name is called...'Bob, we have an assignment for you...you will be working for a bee hive keeper, your job is to contain the bees while they change out the hive boxes...'
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
). Getting up @ 3:00 am, to try to get there early to wait around with other homeless and vagrants, not even sure to get an assignment, for just enough for gas and "cigarette" money, and deal with people who could give less than a rat's patootie about you is something I would never go through again voluntarily.
