Your Two Cents: Have You Ever Worked a Temp Job?

July 10, 2008

Temp (as in temporary) jobs can be a good option for people in various situations: those who can't find full-time work or don't want it, workers who have been laid off and need a paycheck, those considering a career change, and new grads or anyone else looking to get some office experience on their resumes. Sometimes, if the shoe fits, a temp worker will be offered a permanent position with the company.

Have you ever worked a temp job? If so, let's hear about your experience in the comments — I've heard mixed reviews from friends and would love your insight!

Source

29 Comments

jennjennnbubba 4 years 44 weeks

never worked a temp job but may have to real soon

radmama27 4 years 44 weeks

Yea and it was the worst

tee0206 4 years 45 weeks

Yep! I had some great experiences working for some fun companies in interesting industries (wind energy, natural/organic foods, healthcare). I did the whole temp thing after I finished a year of full-time volunteer work. My last temp job led me to a permanent analyst position with a group of hospitals.

mochick 4 years 45 weeks

i'm working as a temp right now. i applied to a temp agency because i wasn't getting any calls back when i applied directly to employers. i'm liking it a lot, really. it affords me a lot of freedom with what i choose to do. if they place me somewhere and i find it's not working for me after a few weeks, i request something different, and they find it for me. i could do temp-to-perm, but i don't feel like it where i'm at right now. (it's a small bank which doesn't offer impressive pay or benefits, and the clients really creep me out. i actually get paid more working as a temp than their full-time employees get, though!)

gemsera 4 years 45 weeks

I only work contract/temp... unless the right position/company comes along. Currently getting paid double what i should for half the work in a very exciting field. Plus I get bored easily, and dont want to lead employers on if i'm not sure about a position.

CaterpillarGirl 4 years 45 weeks

Only once, i worked at the Disney Store in my mall as a temp during the summer, thought i could just earn some extra cash. First I had to BUY the GD uniform they are required to wear, there goes the 8 hours i worked the first week, THAN I had to CALL two hours before my shift started to see if they really needed me or not, 8 times of ten they didnt need me , and that really got annoying after awhile "i dont know if i can do anything with you today wait untill i call my temp job" I quit after a month of work, having gained some ugly a$$ khaki bermuda shorts, a button down white shirt, leather keds and about 25 hours of work!! OH OH, the best part was that because I was a Temp, they wouldnt order me a name tag but you HAVE To go out onto the floor or "front stage" with a nametag, so i got to be someone different everday, which is pretty annoying when someone calls you by it and you dont respond

nancita 4 years 45 weeks

I never have, but my boyfriend used to work temp jobs all the time. In fact, he worked for many months as a temp at the office of .... a temp agency! Perfect premise for a tv show, don't you think?

juliettedawn 4 years 45 weeks

I had two different temp jobs last year. The first one was for two months and the last one was for eight months. They kept me there from February to October, until I got married and moved to another state. It was easier to work part-time and have days off whenever I needed while planning my wedding. I was also lucky that I had really great coworkers. I'll probably sign up with another temp agency when my husband and I move again, closer to his work. I like having the freedom of not having to stay in one job for an undetermined amount of time. I get too restless staying in one job after only a short time. I also plan to start up a small business in a few years, so temp jobs will help me again.

Megatron 4 years 45 weeks

Technically, I am at one right now. I am a summer intern, but we are under the temp heading.

lizs 4 years 45 weeks

My present position was contract-to-hire, though not when I started (just got lucky!). My previous temp jobs were mostly during summers when I was in school, and lots of them were hideous...waking up at 5 am to drive an hour to be a receptionist at a gyno office for $12 and hour? No thanks!

mini_pixie 4 years 45 weeks

I actually work for a temp agency, but as a permanent employee. I had put my resume online, and they contacted me about helping me find work, but since I was still working full time I wasn't ready to temp. Then they recruited me to work in the corporate office!

mondaymoos 4 years 45 weeks

I worked for a temp agency when I was living on the Oklahoma/Arkansas border. It was hard to find work in the small town I was living in, so I drove the 30 minutes to Ft. Smith every day. The pay was definitely better and it helped to be in a city once and a while.

TidalWave 4 years 45 weeks

Yeah and it turned into me getting hired. granted the place sucked, but i would go the temp route again if necessary.

bigestivediscuit 4 years 45 weeks

Yes - several. Two when I was in graduate school - and they gave me fantastic office experience. Then one right after I graduated (literally the day after), and one at a different company which turned into the permanent role that I'm in at the moment.

raieven 4 years 45 weeks

I worked as at temp for 2 years, and I plan on signing up again after graduation while I'm deciding what to do next. I like that you are 'in and out', don't have to deal with 'office politics' and there is always something new to learn/do in each office.

bellaressa 4 years 45 weeks

The last job I was laid off from I started out temp to perm, it was not a good experience but it was a job at the time. When I was hired and then laid off 2 years after that, it was so hard for the agencies I was signed up with to find me a job.

Renees3 4 years 45 weeks

i temped for one month then they hired me on. Now I've been here 4 and a half years! yay!

nals33 4 years 45 weeks

I've worked a few temp jobs. I can say I really liked getting paid weekly! :) I've only worked one temp job for about 6-7 months. Most temp agencies give one and two day temp jobs so it's hard to find a long term temp job. I can definitely say that I didn't enjoy the one and two day jobs..but I needed the money at the time so I couldn't complain.

RosaDilia 4 years 45 weeks

I'm currently employed at the hospital where I was a temp for a year. The office I temped for was creating a new job position and I luckily was hired for that position. Eight years later I've pretty much moved up the ladder form clerk typist to program coordinator.

redegg 4 years 45 weeks

We had one work for the last firm I worked for as receptionist and she turned out to be better than any of the people interviewed previosuly for the position. She stayed permanently. We had a temp after that that we wanted to keep, too, that was great. I've never done it myself but it seemed to work out great for them and my employer.

musefromnowhere 4 years 45 weeks

During summer breaks from college it is really the best option for most people in my area. When I relocated after college I didn't have a job lined up so I went through a temp agency to find something fast. They work well if you use one that is well established and knows what they are doing and actually try to match you with a job you will be suited for and not just any job they have open.

lilkimbo 4 years 45 weeks

I worked a temp job, but not through an agency. When I first moved to DC from Ohio, I worked at an organization where my friend works; they needed extra help planning/preparing for a banquet. It was great.

hippiecowgirl 4 years 45 weeks

I worked a temp job for about 3 weeks. It was boring work, but it was money. Next, the agency placed me in a temp-to-hire job which turned into a full-time position. I was only there about 2 months after it became permanent. Worst place EVER to work! I probably should have declined the offer, but it had benefits starting at day 1 and a slight pay increase.

psychobabble 4 years 45 weeks

Also, just about every job I had that lasted more than a week or two offered me a permanent position. Granted my situation didn't allow me to take them up on it, but it was nice to know that I could easily have a job.

psychobabble 4 years 45 weeks

I worked as a temp on every break during college and during the 6 months after graduation before I started grad school. I didn't do anything related to my profession of choice but in the metro area I lived in it was the best paying flexible job I could get. Plus now I have a lot of experience in some pretty diverse office settings. I wouldn't want to do it for long term, but for my situation it was perfect.

Link Love

29 Comments

You Might Also Like