I decided to try working for a temp agency until I found a more permanent professional position.
It turned out to be an excellent move. I was working within about two weeks. One temp agency told me that employers are often more willing to take a chance on someone when they’re not hiring permanently–although temp positions can often lead to offers of permanent employment when the temp does a good job. The most annoying thing about the process was the battery of tests I had to take at the temp agency before they could offer me employment. But the testing seems to be standard operating procedure for every temp agency I contacted, so it just goes with the territory.
I worked at the temp agency position for about four months until I found a permanent employer.
In addition to helping me get back to work more quickly than might have otherwise been possible, working for a temp agency provides you with the following benefits:
- gives you a chance to try out different employers and jobs without implication of a long-term commitment
- allows you to have a more flexible schedule — ie, you tell the temp agency when you can work (and when you can’t)
- enables you to take more vacations than a standard job when you take “breaks” between employer assignments
- lets you keep your skills current
- gives you experience to flesh out your resume
A few of the largest temp agencies I found in my research included Manpower, Kelly Services, and Randstad. You can find any of these agencies on the Internet. You may also have a privately owned agency in your area that has good connections with local employers: these companies may or may not be on the Internet, so you may need to either search for them on www.bigyellow.com or in your local phone book.