Tempo agencies are a scam, don't waste your time (teenager, college degree, paid)
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And what's wrong with dumping throwaway labor that "questions the company"? I can "question" my employer because I have decades of experience, and they hired me and paid me because I'm really good at what I do. But someone who operates a machine on a production floor needs to sit there and operate that machine, not be "questioning" the people who created that job.
That's why I would never temp. They are considered disposable, throw-away labor. Even people who are highly skilled at their jobs, if they're working temp, they get no respect from the client business. Lots of perm workers can screw up big time.
If you have low-wage, high-turnover work; why would you go through an endless hassle of finding, recruiting, qualifying, and hiring people? You go to the temp firm and have them pump bodies through the door. If a job ends or work tails off, you can say, "I don't need as many people tomorrow. Send Joe and Jane back, tell Tom and Mary to take a hike."
And what's wrong with dumping throwaway labor that "questions the company"? I can "question" my employer because I have decades of experience, and they hired me and paid me because I'm really good at what I do. But someone who operates a machine on a production floor needs to sit there and operate that machine, not be "questioning" the people who created that job.
And it's pretty common for companies that use temp firms like that to convert the people who prove their worth... temps are actually pretty expensive on an hourly basis, but that expense is a great deal when looked at as a bulwark against the risks that unknown person poses. Once they're a known quantity, it's a better deal to convert them to a regular employee.
I have heard many of these arguments before. I have also witnessed many good employees that left discouraged over the years. Keep in mind that I have been a temp for the same agency and the same company for eight years before I had to leave because of my wife's help. I always had a great work record and even at 71 the company has called several times to ask about my wife and see if there was a chance to return. I had a pension and Medicare so I can survive fully retired.
Like I stated this is a hard time for labor. Companies have been formulating policies that discourage workers for many years. Most of the time there has been too many workers available for only a few jobs - so the employers were in the driving seat. Now the pools of workers are smaller and the workers do have a little more bargaining power; but it will not last forever. I am not forgetting for a second that automation is knocking at the door.
Personally I liked the Japanese idea of team work because I felt that we are in this together (both management and the employees). If too many workers get fired or laid off; eventually it will hurt the companies (nobody to buy their products).
So how do you balance all this? I know that many young workers have personal problems and addictions; but they go very quick. I just feel that temp workers should have a 'pathway to permanent' built into the system. It has been done before and it is time to look at how we can improve and still give employers some flexibility.
That's why I would never temp. They are considered disposable, throw-away labor. Even people who are highly skilled at their jobs, if they're working temp, they get no respect from the client business. Lots of perm workers can screw up big time.
That's not true. If you are working at a highly skilled job getting $90 an hour on a W2, you are not only treated like the direct employees you are often treated better. Because you are the expert, the guru they brought in to help them and even instruct their direct employees on how to bring their skills up to date. Too often in large companies they are out of date in technology and bringing in someone who does contracting gives their group a chance to get up to speed by an expert. Highly paid contractors make a career out of it, because they aren't involved with company politics and their time isn't wasted in useless meetings, and then if the work gets boring they find another contract. They can also take off a month between assignments without being asked the stupid HR type of questions about gaps in the resume and still collect unemployment.
As for the low-level temp jobs paying $10-$20 an hour, no, that is only good for the company and is not good to the employee long-term.
I have "worked with" (or rather, tried to find employment) through temp agencies for 5 years now, and let me tell you, in my experience, you will be offered a job through a temp agency about 1 out of every 10 times.
I have lived in 3 different cities in the past 5 years and I went to temp agencies to try to find Customer Service/Office Assistant employment. I went to agencies like : Office Team (Robert Half) Aerotek, Adecco, Randstad, Manpower, Area Temps, Kelly Services, etc. There were also smaller local agencies that I can name later if anyone is interested, but they were just as bad as the big name ones.
In my experience they would post lots of ads online saying something like "Our client, a business in (vague field), is looking for an Administrative Assistant"and they would post something like a medium to high salary range for the local area. I would submit my resume, hear from them that "My resume and experience looks great" and they would then usually say something along the lines of "We're interested in having you come in so I can talk to you more about your experience, and what you're looking for in a position"!
This should be the major red flag right here for anyone dealing with these liars. They know good and well that you applied to a specific position, so why would you want to go in and talk to them about what you're "looking for"? You APPLIED TO THEIR POSITION!! that is the position that you're looking for!
Usually if you try to set up a phone interview instead they will refuse, even if you are talking to them on the phone at the time, they will insist that you waste your time, gas, and energy going to their office to sit there for 20 minutes and tell them what they already know, I.E., discuss your resume and the obvious fact that you're looking for a job. Recently in the past 5 years, temp agencies have started to use Skype, but not all of them.
Some of the larger agencies will make you waste your time further by taking Software tests, and sometimes by filling out ALL the onboarding paperwork. Then they'll tell you something really vague like "Our client is busy this week, but they said they'll get back to us next week about setting up an interview!", or "I'll have to run this by my supervisor, who isn't here now, but I'll reach out to you soon about this position!" It's always some really fake enthusiastic response.
You will then not hear ANYTHING from them ever, ever again.
If you email or call them, they'll be busy but will email you back with another vague line like "The client's hiring manager is out of town" or maybe even "The client decided to fill the position internally, but don't worry, we have another client that we are working with and we'll get back to you about it next week"
So they'll string you along until you give up.
Why do they do this? I think they are selling the data to a 3rd party data broker. I also KNOW for a fact that these temp agencies have QUOTAS and that every single person they bring in to an interview in their office counts, so the recruiters are constantly trying to trick people into going to meet with them in their office, so they can show their supervisor how many potential candidates they have.
In my experience, it's only about 1 out of every 10 of these stupid interviews that I have went on, that has actually resulted in an ACTUAL JOB
And not all of the jobs are worthwhile, they're usually a call center type of job, or something that is below the pay range that you specified. They'll tell you "unfortunately, the client cannot go any higher than $15 per hour".
But what they're not telling you, is that the client is paying THEM $27 per hour for every hour that YOU are working, and then THEY, the temp agency, is paying you only $15.
DON"T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH TEMP AGENCIES!! The more people who boycott them, hopefully the sooner they will all just go out of business. THEY ARE ALL A SCAM!!
I wish I had not wasted so much of my time and money and energy going to interview at these scam temp agencies!!!
Perhaps it is the geographical area you are in? I was hired for permanent positions at two different companies in New York and Miami after temp assignments that came from an agency.
Last edited by Enigma777; 09-06-2018 at 10:26 AM..
Perhaps it is the geographical area you are in? I was hired for permanent positions at two different companies in New York and Miami after temp assignments that came from the agency.
I'll second this.
The job I took here after the recession that had me relocating from the east coast 7 years ago started with Aerotek and after 8 months I went permanent with the client and got a raise and bonuses.
It opened doors to other opportunities and November will mark 4 years of happy employment with my current employer. I work in CNC machining.
Perhaps it is the geographical area you are in? I was hired for permanent positions at two different companies in New York and Miami after temp assignments that came from an agency.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LuvsCruisin
I'll second this.
The job I took here after the recession that had me relocating from the east coast 7 years ago started with Aerotek and after 8 months I went permanent with the client and got a raise and bonuses.
It opened doors to other opportunities and November will mark 4 years of happy employment with my current employer. I work in CNC machining.
I will third it.
Where I am, there's many temp agencies. From Employers Overload, Express, Kelly, Aerotek, Adecco, Personnel source, Begin Right, Manpower, and various day labor
Two of those above are NOT long term temp employers. They ONLY want to deal with employers who HIRE their temps. The rest will let you work YEARS at the same employer, gaining nothing but a weekly paycheck and keep you guessing if you'll get another.
Be choosy with your agency. If they have long term temps, then you can be inclined to believe they'll have you in the same position.
That's not true. If you are working at a highly skilled job getting $90 an hour on a W2, you are not only treated like the direct employees you are often treated better. Because you are the expert, the guru they brought in to help them and even instruct their direct employees on how to bring their skills up to date. Too often in large companies they are out of date in technology and bringing in someone who does contracting gives their group a chance to get up to speed by an expert. Highly paid contractors make a career out of it, because they aren't involved with company politics and their time isn't wasted in useless meetings, and then if the work gets boring they find another contract. They can also take off a month between assignments without being asked the stupid HR type of questions about gaps in the resume and still collect unemployment.
As for the low-level temp jobs paying $10-$20 an hour, no, that is only good for the company and is not good to the employee long-term.
The vast majority of people who work in the temping industry aren't paid $90 an hour. They are paid anything from minimum wage to $18 an hour and treated with no respect at their jobs. They often aren't even allowed to bring in a framed photo of their family and put it on their desk at work or bring a coffee mug because it's standard practice to dismiss temps by telephone after the work day is over.
There are a few very specialized jobs in IT and engineering where you can name your own price and get paid up the wazoo by agencies and earn more than a direct hire.
In most professions especially mine contract jobs are a race to the bottom. They pay substantially less than direct hire, have worse or no benefits, and no security to boot. They are used by crapo employers who don't value their workers.
There are a few very specialized jobs in IT and engineering where you can name your own price and get paid up the wazoo by agencies and earn more than a direct hire..
Yes, but you wouldn't get benefits. The higher pay compensates for not having company paid health insurance, paid vacation days, paid holidays, stock options...
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