More than once I’ve written about working for temporary agencies. I have a whole lot of experience together, and I believe temporary assignments are a terrific way to test various kinds of organizations and jobs. <!–More–>
There are certain ground rules to follow when working for temporary agencies. I will list them later. One of the first things you need to do before calling a temp agency to establish an appointment is check out their Web site; most, if not all, agencies have one. If it is possible to enroll online and upload a copy of your resume, do it. This will help a lot with larger agencies such as Kelly, Robert Half and Adecco. Another benefit is that you can apply for jobs that you believe meet your skill set. Within a couple of days, someone in the agency will call you. You will still have to get an interview and skills testing, but integrating you into their worker system will be easier for the agency. You can know more about Job Seekers, Employment Services | Diversified Staffing Services.
Many times I’ve read blogs where people lamented that agencies boasted dozens of occupations in advertisements, but if they went in to apply, the tasks had disappeared. This isn’t correct. The agency does have lots of tasks. The issue is they might not have any that fit your skill set. This is frustrating to say the least. That is why I advocate registering with two bureaus simultaneously. Occasionally I was enrolled with as many as five at one time. View the many options and benefits of employment agencies calgary.
No Matter how many agencies you are registered with, there are certain rules you should follow to be the most desirable temp in the city:
1. Be prepared. When you move in for your interview and skills tests, have at least two copies of your resume, three references and two kinds of I.D.
2. Be professional. Dress for an interview with a temp agency as if you were going to an interview in a Fortune 500 company. You don’t know where you may wind up.
3. Be patient. Sometimes agencies have rapid turnover for missions, but sometimes things are slow. As you’re waiting for a mission to come through, begin checking out other agencies to find out what sort of jobs they need to offer.
4. Be cooperative. Some jobs are going to be under your skill set or just a couple of days in length. (I once did a two-day mission with Hefron-Tillotson where I stuffed envelopes with invitations to a customer appreciation dinner). By demonstrating a willingness to take short-term or boring missions, you reveal the agency your willingness to help out. This will serve you well when meatier missions come along later on.
5. Be flexible. Always be ready to take an assignment in a minute’s notice. If the agency calls you at 8 a.m. and asks if it is possible to appear in a mission by 11 a.m., say yes, then make it happen. Sometimes this will not be possible. That’s okay. In four decades of working as a temp, I just got called on short notice three times.
6. Be persistent. Even though it’s the temp agency’s job to run your job search for you, you need to let them know that you are, ready, willing and available to work. By calling in each day to inquire if any new missions fulfilling your skill set have come in, you tell them that you would like to work. And do not be put off by the old”Do not call uswe’ll call you,” speech. The more you call, the harder they will work to find you a job, if for no other reason than for you to quit calling.
7. Remember who you work for. The temp agency is the boss, not the customer company. Any time you will need to call off or phone to say you will be late, call the agency , then call the customer.
8. Use any training the agency provides. Some temp agencies, like Office Team (under the Robert Half umbrella), provide skills training on their Internet sites. If you are missing out on assignments since you lack Power Point, Access or Excel skills, then it would definitely be in your best interest to take the training courses provided on the agency’s website. Some agencies allow you to make an appointment to come in their offices and perform your training there. Again, it’s well worth it if you would like more assignments that are available to you.
These are simply a couple of hints to help make temporary work a pleasant experience for both you and the agency representing you. And bear in mind, temp agencies also have duties which are temp-to-permanent, if what you are really searching for is a permanent position.
