Temp agencies do not exist to find you a job

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Published Jan 22, 2017

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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.)

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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

 

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