I just landed the first "job" job I've had in over a year. I have been a temp for a long time.I have a long history with temp agencies. I have worked with six different agencies that I can remember. As a temp, I have done a lot of things.
- Built tires
- Worked as IT in a county courthhouse
- Quality Assurance in a grain silo factory
- Taken phone orders for cheeses and sausages at Christmas time
- Re-sod a golf course
- Janitorial work
- Filled orders for a pharmaceutical distribution center
- Built armrests for Lincoln Navigators
- Worked the assembly line in a cake factory
- Medical records department in major hospital
- Painted bumpers for Corvettes
- Security guard at a homeless shelter
- Worked the assembly line in a DVD/CD factory
- Dressed as Santa at the mall for children's pictures
- Was an emcee for Nintendo during a video game competition
- Worked in the laboratory for the Environmental Protection Agency
For places that actually hire through temp services, it is a great way to get into a company. They can watch your work ethic for a few months and them make a decision on you. However, many companies take advantage of the cheap labor and let every temp go within 90 days of them starting. Plus, most regular, hourly employees of the company a temp works at think very little of temps and do not treat them well.
Besides helping a person get their foot in the door, my favorite thing about the temp services, is the ability to leave quickly if you do find a permanent job somewhere. They generally have so many people on their roster, they can find a replacement for someone leaving within hours. Two weeks notice is not always required in these situations.
There are a lot of reasons to not be a temp. Number one being that you will never make any money, you are very disposable and replaced as easy as making a phone call, but when I have needed work, they never let me down.
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That's a wide variety of jobs!
ReplyDeleteSo, a factory that built grain silos, or checking the grain at a grain storage facility? Either way, that one sounded interesting.
It was a factory that built grain silos. I had to check over the orders before they went out the door. Since a single order could be anywhere from $100,00 to $3,000,000 it had to be right.
DeleteCustomers spending this kind of money don't appreciate mistakes.
I have been fortunate. After a couple short-term gigs, my temp service landed me at the job I have now, where I was actually hired on as a full-time employee, and where they use my strengths and actually value my work!
ReplyDeleteActually, both my parents got full-time jobs through temp agencies at different times, too. But that's probably more possible in urban areas.
I have gotten permanent work a couple of times, although most of the time, it ends in a layoff.
DeleteWhat a wide range of occupations. I was extremely lucky with temp work myself. The company I worked for went under so I took a temp job with a major Canadian Insurance Company and while there applied for full time...20 years later it was retirement time. Congrats on finding filler work...fingers crossed it works into something full time for you.
ReplyDeleteI have a full time independent contractor position now. Temping worked while I needed it. I really like this job I have now.
DeleteWhen I was still working we hired a lot of temp workers and many of them are now regular employees. It works if one is patient and has what it takes.
ReplyDeleteHave a terrific day. ☺
I loved the places that used temps in that way. There are a couple of factories here that very VERY rarely actually hire their temps. They just use them for the cheaper labor costs.
DeleteAs an artist most of my jobs were temporary, ending when the assignment was completed. But I like the idea of having many different challenges instead of the monotony of doing the same thing for years. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed having so many jobs. I haven't gotten far in any career, but I have done a lot of different things.
DeleteOver here, a lot of people who work with children, prefer temping rather than being in one school for too long. It pays incredibly well but come summer holidays, no money. :)
ReplyDeleteI wish the temp jobs here paid well. Maybe I should move there.
DeleteI was a temp for a few years as well. I know how it goes. It is fun when you consider the fact that you get to learn many different trades. But you are right, you will never grow in a company as a temp.
ReplyDeleteElliot
We Are Adventure
Dead on.
DeleteWow, you have done a LOT of different things. One thing that struck me...there is an assembly line in a cake factory? What are the stations? layers? icing? Huh.
ReplyDeleteI have never done temp work, but I would not hesitate to do it if I were out of work. I have been fortunate to always have had a job, although in this day and age, jobs feel a lot more precarious than they used to, temp or not.
It was a Dolly Madison factory. We made the cake mixes. Not as exciting as it first sounded.
DeleteI would love to hear about the cake factory. Most people don't even think about how mass-produced food is made, much less experience it.
ReplyDeleteIt was your average assembly line, except there was cake dust (mix) covering everything.
DeleteMy ex-wife's first job she was supposed to be temp for 90 days before a hire in. After working on temp status for a year, I told her to go and tell them to either hire you or fire you. They fired her, oops.
ReplyDeleteYeah, hiring someone on costs to much. It's cheaper to keep them as a temp.
DeleteI think it would be most interesting to temp in different fields and constantly learn new things!! Congrats on the job!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Valerie
I have learned a lot of things.
DeleteI've done a lot of temp jobs too, mostly in the first year after I graduated from university. There was a permanent position coming up at my latest temp job in August '03, but I was run over by a car on my way to work about a week before that position was going to open. Needless to say, I couldn't go back to work there in any capacity.
ReplyDeleteThere is probably never any good time to get run over by a car.
DeleteYou worked in a cake factory? If I did that, cakes might mysteriously go missing when its time to provide a birthday cake. I probably shouldn't work in a cake factory.
ReplyDeleteThe Quality Assurance department would randomly come up to the line a grab a box to bake for testing. They made so much cake all day that it was often taken to the break room. There was always plenty of cake and brownies to eat.
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