Getting a job can be hard. If you’re a member of the unemployed, you probably spend a lot of time picking up applications, filling them out, taking them back, and waiting for a reply. Maybe you’ve used one of the computer application programs located in some stores, trying to remember what month you started a job you had in college while kids scream in the background as they wait for their parents to buy groceries..
How about a different approach? There are many good temp agencies out there for anyone willing to use them. I have used a few different temp agencies, and for this article I’ll guide you through the process of gaining employment using these agencies, and what to expect.
RESUME
Having a resume prepared is probably the easiest way to start the process of getting a job, and will take a lot of the guess work out of getting a job. You can use it as a guide for filling out applications, regardless of using a temp agency or finding applications on your own. This article focuses on specifics concerning temp agencies, but I will briefly discuss the format I use for my own personal resume:
For contact information, all of my text is bold and centered at the top of my resume:
Full Name
Street Address
City, State & Zip Code
Home Phone: (555) 555-5555
Email:
After listing my contact information, I leave all other information to the left, bolding only the headlines:
Highest Level of Education
Your college, high school, etc.
Street address of school
City, State Zip Code of school
Years attended (ex: 2002-2006)
Major/Minor
Graduated with a (type of degree)
Phone number of school
Work History
(For work history, separately list all previous jobs you have held, especially if they relate to the job you are applying for)
Name of Company
Address: Street Address
City, State & Zip Code
Title: example, Production Team Member
Start month/year – End month/year
Responsibilities: Detailed explanation of what you did on the job. Cleaning up, doing paperwork, running a machine, training other team members, etc.
Phone Number: (555) 555-5555
Personal References: (Refrain from listing family members. Employers are looking for people who are able to speak on behalf of your work ethic and personality)
Name of Reference
Street Address
City, State & Zip Code
(555) 555-5555
Finding a Temp Agency
If you have the internet, this step should be easy. Search for: temp agency, and include your city and state. If you don’t have internet access, your phonebook should contain listings for local temp agencies. Gather information about one or more different agencies. Call them, ask what kind of jobs they offer, where those jobs are located, and how much they pay. Any information you want to find out about the temp agency, or the nature of the work they offer, go ahead and ask before starting the application process.
Three Options of Work
There are usually three ways to get a job when using a temp agency. You should find out if the agency has exactly what you want, so I’ll give a brief description of each type of job offered:
Temporary
The very nature of a temp agency implies getting a job you won’t keep. That idea applies mainly to the temporary position. A true temporary job will have a scheduled end date. Your obligation to that company will end, and there are no implications of being hired permanently.
Temp-to-hire
Selecting temp-to-hire indicates that you are willing to work for temporary wages, but are working with the intention of being hired by the company you are working for after a certain amount of time spent as a temporary employee.
Direct Hire
Selecting direct hire rejects the notion of working as a temporary employee, requesting instead to be considered for a permanent position at a company the temp service works for. This option is only useful if you don’t want to work for temporary wages, and are willing to wait the time needed for a position to become available. It has the least potential for immediate employment.
The Application Process
If you like the temp agency and what it has to offer, ask if you can apply online or if you will need to go to their office. Eventually, you will have to go to the temp agency’s location to sign some papers and answer questions. Make an appointment, and get there on time. Bring your high school diploma, or college degree, and two forms of identification. Depending on whether or not you have already filled out an application, the in-office visit might take anywhere between thirty minutes to a couple of hours.
During the in-office visit you will be asked to fill out paperwork acknowledging you understand the temp agency’s policies, agree to a drug screening, agree to a background check, etc. They could also ask you a few job-related questions I have listed examples of some possible questions to be prepared for:
Was there ever a time when you were unable to complete a task at work?
What is an acceptable amount of days to miss work during a year?
What are your long-term career goals?
Have you ever had a physically demanding task you had to accomplish?
As long as you take your time, you will do fine answering any questions they might ask you. Always remember to be honest, but don’t be mean. The way you express your past experiences might be foretelling about your future work ethic and relationships you might develop with new coworkers.
The Drug Test
You might be asked to do a drug test at the temp agency. If that’s the case, they will most likely ask you to self-test. Self-testing is a simple process, and you will be given instructions on the specific test when it’s time. If the test is off-site, remember to get the address, and ask for noticeable locations near the location to make it easier to find. The drug test is a simple procedure, and you will do fine as long as you’re drug-free.
After the Test, and What Happens Next
If the drug test is off-site, ask when the results will be sent back to the temp agency. When you acquire that information, call the temp agency to let them know. They will appreciate you for your cooperation, and making them aware of the steps you have completed could speed up the process of getting a job. Ask the temp agency what your next steps should be. They might tell you to wait for a call, give you an appointment for an interview with a company, or they might even schedule your first day of work. If they ask you to wait for a call, you should consider checking back with them every couple of days to keep yourself informed of the possibilities of actually getting a job. If it takes too long, you might want to consider asking someone at the agency when they expect to have available jobs you would qualify for. Usually, a temp agency will have work ready for you in a short time frame, but that’s not a guarantee, so be ready to apply elsewhere if you need to. And always, keep your chin up, and keep looking.
