Best Temp Agencies?

[golfgal]

Has anyone worked through a temp agency to find jobs? I have been looking for a job and notice that a lot of the jobs are listed through temp agencies. I was thinking about applying to a temp agency but I don't really know anything about any of them. I want a full time job, not really a temp job but many companies these days are hiring through temp agencies to try out employees before they buy . Any recommendations?

 

[Bob Slydell]

I worked through Robert Half (RHI) with my previous job. I worked as a contractor for a couple months on a temp-to-hire basis. Once they saw what I could do for them, they made a full-time offer and I became a permanent employee. I don't know if RHI is the best, but they're one of the larger temp-to-hire places out there.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I temped through Spherion (which was Interim at the time). My first assisgnment turned into a permanent position that has afforded me many opportunities!

 

[golfgal]

Are they general temp agencies or do they only work with executives, computer people or whatever. I am just a lowly retired school teacher turned stay at home mom that wants a job that isn't boring. I found what I think the perfect job for me would be--administrative assistant for the Director of Marketing for the Toro Golf Division, but how do you get them to hire you. I sent a resume and called to "follow" up on the thing but other then that, what do you do? All of the jobs I have had have been because people have called me looking for someone to fill a spot. I haven't ever really gone through the whole send out a resume, interview thing before.

 

[vetrik]

I found my first job after college with a smaller local temp agency - it started out temporary and I was hired 2 months later permanently. I got laid off from that job and the temp agency found me another full time job 3 days later - and now I actually share an office with them so I see them work all the time. Most of the people end up with full time permanent jobs through them, unless they specifically want just temp jobs. My brother just got a job in New York City through a temp agency after searching on his own for over 2 months and going on interviews.

I think they're a great way to find a job - they do the work for you and you just have to go to the interview. They also have access to jobs that are not posted in the newspapers or ads. It gives you as much of a chance to try out the job as it gives the employer to try you out. It also doesn't mean you have to stop searching on your own.

 

[ckay87]

I worked for Manpower through college, during breaks, and after graduation. Loved it. They get you in the door which is the hardest part. Then you just sell yourself, make connections, etc. I work at a huge company. Held temp jobs all over the place here for years and was finally hired.

 

[Keggy]

I think it depends on where you live and each branch is different. I worked as a Recruiter with Volt and they were a very good company.

Take a look on Monster and look at the positions you would be interested in and see who is posting them - it is worth it to give them a call.

Volt
Spherion
Kelly Services
AppleOne
Snelling
Ajilion
Robert Half
Adecco
Manpower

Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head - but I am sure there are hundreds more.

Kelly

 

[golfgal]

I checked the websites for Manpower and Kelly and neither of them had many listings in our area. I will have to look again at the listing site I use and see what ones are there.

 

[Mary Anne]

Robert Half International also has a division called Office Team. I've worked for them on and off for a few years when I was actively looking and now that I've landed a job in HR, I use them when we need clerical help. They are pretty much top notch from both sides of the desk.

 

[golfgal]

Robert Half International also has a division called Office Team. I've worked for them on and off for a few years when I was actively looking and now that I've landed a job in HR, I use them when we need clerical help. They are pretty much top notch from both sides of the desk.

That is good to know. Their name has been on the search list a few times. The hard part is knowing if they are legitimate or not. I don't want to send my info to a company to find out they deal in telemarketing or some other scam work at home type things.

 

[liamsaunt]

I used to work as a recruiter for a temp agency. I won't say which because they had some business practices I disagreed with and when I found out I ended up leaving the company because of it.

I will say, though, that if you are looking for a general adminstrative type position, temp agencies can be a great way to get a position. A lot of the positions we filled were receptionist or admin assistants--the spots were, in many cases, to cover for someone out on maternity leave. We definitely had a lots of folks who ended up being hired full time, either because the mom didn't come back to work or the temp impressed people in the office during their three-month tenure.

If you use a good agency, and are looking for factory/manufacturing work, temp agenices can also a good way in for a full time position. Frankly, a lot of companies prefer to bring in folks for these jobs on a temporary basis so they have time to evaulate whether the person has health issues that would impact their being able to do the job. If they run into health (or other) trouble in the three month period, they can be released back to the temp agency with no repercussions or workmans comp issues. We had exclusive contracts on a lot of the manufacturing facilities in our area. In one particular instance I remember the employers were looking for people that did not have carpal tunnel syndrome. They would hire everyone we sent into their company full time with benefits if they passed the "three month test." If not... they were out of luck.

 

[gris gris]

I got my first job out of college as a Receptionist via Adeeco (but I think it was something else then). Boy was I irritated that I had a bachelor's degree and couldn't find a job. It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened - I met the right people and in 6 years went from Receptionist to Operations Manager.

I'm actually going to losing my Ops Mgr job soon and when I'm ready to go back to work I'm going to go through an agency again. Good luck to you!

 

[castleview]

Wow! It's so nice to hear that all of you have had great experiences with your temp agency. A former colleague of mine started a temp agency which sounded great, but I didn't like some tactics. She would take a third of the temporary worker's pay. If the company wanted to hire this person full time, the employee would have to wait a three month period of being paid two thirds of what he should be making. Plus, she was very aware of company's who had no interest in a full time employee, just wanted to keep rotating people in and out after three months...and she strung these people along in my opinion.

Is this normal tactics and I'm just being too one-sided? I'm curious to know.

 

[Mary Anne]

Nope castleview that is pretty standard.

As an example: If an employer pays say $20 an hour for a temp, the temp doing the work is lucky to get say $12 of that. However, keep in mind that the temp agency needs to pay the "overhead" on the employee, the paperwork related to taxes, ss, etc. The temp agency really does get the better end of the deal though I admit.

I really, really dislike the 90 day "trial" periods and the using of temps for just the period time and the employer has no intent of actually making the hire. I've been on the wrong side of the tracks on the one too. What happens after a while is the employee knows pretty quickly what the story is and gives about 50% rather then 100%. Why go all out when you know you're not going to be hired. I'm a firm believer in making a offer up front and paying the full price, then you'll get a worker who is committed to doing a good job.