"Temp Jobs" used to mean low-level secretarial work or warm bodies for dirty jobs.
But not anymore.
Temping has re-categorized into high level professional work of all kinds. For companies obsessed with the bottom line, it means paying people less than they are worth and not worrying about benefits.
Of course they love it. And yes, it's a trend that sucks.
But when you have little faces looking up at you for dinner, it can keep the wolf from the door.
Over the years, I've been on both sides; as a temp myself, and as someone in charge of hiring and supervising temp workers.
Get your tips on the flip!
The good side of temping is that it can lead to a full time job, while keeping your skills sharp and avoiding those deadly "resume gaps."
And it is a paycheck.
So here's some pitfalls to be aware of.
All Temp Agencies are not created equal. If you have the skills, look for agencies that specialize in IT, law, medicine and the like. It's better to start with small, local, agencies if possible. They are judged by the quality of the workers they send out, and so are the first to get the call when a job appears.
Don't get sucked into "resume dumps." They aren't worth your time and skills. Don't let them make copies of your Social Security card and driver's license. Be aware that they are supposed to be securing this information and can only hold onto it for six months or so (regulations vary) if they are not actively working for you. If they make copies and throw them onto a pile on their desk, this is not secure.
They should be typing the numbers into a database with a firewall and password restricted access and returning your identification to you. If not, you are courting problems with identity theft.
You're a professional, and you only wish to work with other professionals.
The temp agency is a job interview, too. Dress for the job you want them to get you. Have your resume retooled to emphasize your versatility and range. Put your accomplishments front and foremost, leaving your dates of job history and your titles while there as a second-tier emphasis. Discuss your skills, and don't neglect mentioning your social ones.
Temp workers have a stigma that they are not employable, and it's often because they don't play well with others. That's ridiculous, of course, but it means you must counter this subconscious assumption with clear signs of reassurance.
If you've ever worked in a company, as I have, where the temps show up half-crocked, belligerent, or emitting clouds of body odor, you know where this prejudice comes from.
The agency risks their reputation by sending out such inadequate workers. So good ones screen, just like any HR department. They need people who get along with their co-workers right away, cause no personal conflicts, and are calm and cheerful all the time.
So be that person in the interview.
You can't bad-mouth. It's sad, but true; complaining must be reserved for your family, friends, and certain blogs. Yes, soulless corporations are cutting their own throats, small companies can be run by tireless maniacs, and the economy has been driven onto life support by brain dead policies.
But that's not the point at play here.
The company that let you go was stupid for losing such a good worker. But you can't say that. The supervisor was a Dittohead, and that's why you got targeted. But you can't say that. The owners or bosses have screwed up the place and could have kept you if they knew how to run a business. But you can't say that.
It's natural to be defensive about losing your job. Most of us have a bone-deep revulsion about being judged this way. But for the entire time you are looking for work OR working, you have to: Get Over It.
Take it as given that you were unavoidably laid off even though it had nothing to do with you or your work. It's true, isn't it? Believe me, the temp people know how it happens. They see it every day. So don't go into long explanations or justifications. You are a great worker/person now at liberty.
That's the attitude to have.
Once you have a temp job, hurray!
Money will be forthcoming. And maybe even a job. Because many, many companies hire from their temp pool. And why not? They have had an on-the-job look at you and your work. Even if this job isn't a step into full employment, it could be. Jobs can open up, and what's the first thing they have to think of? Who do they know that can step in and step up?
Let's hope it's you.
So this job could turn into something more, if you handle it right. Here's how to do that:
Remember that you're a temp. It can be discouraging to be treated as "not part of the office." But from the regular workers' point of view, why should they get involved when you might be gone soon? It's just human nature to be guarded with someone they don't know, and don't know what their future will be with this person.
So keep your head down. If someone chats with you, great; but don't initiate or try too hard. You are just there being friendly and helpful, knowing when to withdraw like any good sales clerk. You are selling you at all times.
When they do engage, it can be the "getting to know you" process. Offices are much better places to work when the chemistry is right; you are being tested with these little encounters.
Let them come to you.
Be steady, not spectacular. It's tempting to blaze through your work and come up with three new ways to do things that shows how brilliant you are. But this will make the rest of the office look bad, won't it? Rotten move.
Besides, you haven't been there long enough to know how this will impact others, or even the chain of work you are in. You can miss a step and look foolish.
So concentrate on making your work clean and accurate. If you aren't sure about something, try to find a way to ask your supervisor that doesn't leave your work hanging in the meantime. Supervisors want two contradictory things: the knowledge that you can be left alone to do your work, and the reassurance that you will ask if you aren't sure how to do it. Negotiating this challenge is how you will shine, not by coming up with a way of revamping the department.
Try not to bother co-workers with questions or suggestions, unless you have been specifically asked to do so. They might see you as a rival, you might get seen as too chatty or too dependent on others, or as a suck-up.
You are here to make your boss look good. Save those flashes of brilliance for later.
As your time draws to a close... Maybe the task was time-limited from the beginning, or maybe it's a case of maybe getting a call the next day, or not. In any case, the end of the assignment should be handled professionally and leave yet another good impression.
Seek out your supervisor to let them know where the work stands as you leave it, or sum up a few pertinent points about the completed project they need to know going forward.
As a goodbye, tell them you you appreciated working for them. Even if you didn't. After all, this was a different experience from having a full time job under them; that can make a difference.
Besides, you are Mr. or Ms. Perfect Worker, despite any challenges the job has thrown at you. Companies like temp workers because they don't have to give them any leeway. Rise above, and they will be impressed.
Mention they can always ask for you by name: Flair Steadey (insert your name here.) This keeps your name in their head in the category of Good Worker. You never know when it could come in handy.
Hitting the bricks after. It's like being fired all over again, isn't it? All that work, all that pressure and constraint, and you're back at the beginning. But you're not.
You have another notch in your belt, and you've hopefully impressed some people where it can do the most good. Treasure the up times. Be glad anything you didn't like is not necessarily something you have to put up with anymore.
The world of work is just that; a big place full of people who are themselves under pressure to get things done. If you have impressed this world as someone who can make them look good, get the work done properly and on time, and doesn't cause drama and conflict; congratulations!
You're ahead of most other people, even the people working for them right now.
And one day, I hope, you will be one of those people who once again have a steady, full-time job.
When that day comes, treat your own temp workers and co-workers well.
Because you are all in it together. And you never know when the situation will be reversed, do you?