Washington - Q: I recently went through a two-year period of temping after
technology had made my existing job skills obsolete.
While I had no illusions that I was the best word processor in town, the
agencies gave me the strong impression that my skills were more than passable.
But I wound up working less than half-time, and having to draw down my savings.
A few clients complimented my work and asked for me, so presumably I was
competent. Accepting data-entry and even light industrial assignments resulted
in very little additional work.
Recently, I received an inheritance and am planning to go back to school
and make a career change. But I was so enraged by my temping experience that I
sought informational interviews with a couple of new agencies and a former
agency that hadn't given me an assignment. Here are some of the comments:
"You are strictly word processing." (I had been led to believe
word processing skills would be enough.)
"We had a data entry assignment, but it paid less than you
want." (I shouldn't have had to do data entry for chump change.)
"This region is a hotbed of software development, and the level of
computer literacy is high." (This should have been factored in when
telling me what to expect.)
Read also: Five lessons from your first job
The agencies either didn't know the job market, had poor communication
skills or lied. Giving people false hope about their prospects is just cruel.
A: You've been through a demoralizing period, so I want to be kind - but I
don't know how else to say this: You seem to have the impression that the temp
agencies' priority was to find work for you. In reality, their priority was to
meet clients' need for on-demand staffing by keeping a full roster of temps -
and the first-stringers on that roster either have all the skills the clients
want, or have the humility and hustle to pick them up as they go.
Fortunately, an 11th-hour windfall has given you a way out and a chance to
improve your ranking on the supply-demand food chain. To make the most of it,
stop fuming over what you think should have been given and instead focus on
building a future based on what you've actually received: big clues about
technological obsolescence and "computer literacy," as well as a hard
lesson in proactive skepticism.
Education will help with the former; to hone the latter, start asking
sooner, "Do their words align with my reality - and if not, how can I
triangulate and excavate to get at the truth?"
And don't rule out temping when you're ready to road-test your newly
acquired skills. Besides helping to pay the rent, temporary gigs in your chosen
field are a good way to enter the market and make a name for yourself before
you commit to an employer.
WASHINTON POST