Anyone ever "survive" off of temp jobs in the DFW Area? (Houston: health insurance)

[Shayne_]

A family member just got hired at a staffing firm. Its temporary for 6 months. After the 6 months, they will help her find something else.


My question is, is it easy to "survive" with temporary jobs here? Jumping job to job? It just seems somewhat unstable and risky to me. I do know there are some staffing firms here that offer unemployment.

[SmartGXL]

What kind of "temp" jobs? IT? Clerical?

I am sure one can survive, but will you "thrive"? I would say that you would get your paycheck, but there will be risky times where you might not have a gig for a week or so, and in this economy, I would not want to have that kind of risk. Even with Dallas' booming economy, I would not want that kind of stress. You might not even have health insurance. And, the stress of not knowing where your next check is coming from might take a toll on you, your body, and other ways. You wouldnt be able to enjoy life to the fullest, with that kind of risk and stress. Just my opinion.

Ultimately, I would ask this: Why is the family member taking the temp job? Do they not have any job experience? Do they have a spouse who is employed, to help reduce risks and stress? Is there a plan to eventually take the experience and use it to find a perm gig? Some gigs wind up eventually hiring the person for a job permanently.

[RockyJoe817]

Temp jobs tend not hire if you have any type of criminal background.

You can only get unemployment if you worked a certain length of time and completed
your project and properly let go from the temp service.
The temp service suggest that they may find you another job, but sometimes this does
not work out in a timely manner.
Sometimes the employee is lucky and does get a full time job offer in the stated time date.
I have worked additional temp jobs, some lasted hours, days, and other weeks. Some of the other
employees said they are usually there over two to three years before getting a permanent offer even
if they were told it would be six months temp to hire.
As with many other things in life, the only thing that I would depend on the temp job is making some extra cash. They may work out for some people, but not for others.
You may be better off with a part-time job to start, the steady cash flow will help you keep a stable income until you can get the full-time or at least continue looking for the full-time work that you want.

[Johnhw2]

The demand for temp workers is good right now and has been in the Irving area for the last 2 or 3 years. All the statements about are true. I have seen IT temps thrive in Houston. He was talented and a great help to all, he lived on his boat in Clear Lake and worked until we finished the project for him, the took off for the next port of call to work as a temp again to make enough to fund his next trip to a new port. Certainly not the norm but just one example of a permanent temp!

[Double-G]

Originally Posted by Johnhw2

The demand for temp workers is good right now and has been in the Irving area for the last 2 or 3 years. All the statements about are true. I have seen IT temps thrive in Houston. He was talented and a great help to all, he lived on his boat in Clear Lake and worked until we finished the project for him, the took off for the next port of call to work as a temp again to make enough to fund his next trip to a new port. Certainly not the norm but just one example of a permanent temp!

This certainly squares with some of the people we've employed.

Whether you want to temp or not is really a tempermental thing - as in are you suited. We had an outstanding 'temp' (I'd call him a consultant) recently who only left us because he lived so far away and got a closer to home offer.

I'm close to IT and we've had contractors who were outstanding that we really wanted to hire who didn't want to leave the life. And given the rates they were on and their skills and attitude, it was entirely understandable.

[TX75007]

Yes.

Prior to getting my current job 15 years ago, I was a FT contractor, clearing 80-100 an hour and working 50-70 hour weeks.

[Philip T]

About all I have done for the last 20 years.

It is favorable.

Played some Army and taught some college W-2 status in there, but mostly 1099 and C2C.

What you need to know / do -- clear at least double your spending, do not do debt, do not buy on credit nor payments.

Like I say -- overall pretty favorable.

[ChristieP]

And if you are working 1099, you MUST send in the quarterly payments to the IRS. If you wait until you file your taxes, they will absolutely kill you with "late" penalties and interest!