Temp Agency recruiters

[Watercolors]

So, I'm on this temp assignment and per usual am given the run around by the client AND the recruiter when I ask them for clarification on *when* my assignment ends.

 

Normally, you know going into a temp assignment:

 

1) it's short term (end date)

2) it's temp to hire (no end date, they're hiring you)

3. it's a direct hire (congrats, you're hired)

 

That's the ideal world. Unfortunately, temps can't live in an ideal world b/c we are treated like mindless automatons who are told to follow "x, y, z" directions.

 

All I want to know is, "is this assignment 6 weeks or 6 months?" I have asked the recruiter, knowing full well she has access to the contract the client I work as a temp for had to sign. I know this, b/c I've temped before and my relative is a recruiter.

 

Can the recruiter just answer my question? Nope. She responded via email she has to ask the client.

 

Total runaround b.s.

 

I asked them in my initial interview (the recruiter told me 4 to 6 weeks) and the client told me 6 months. She outright said she wouldn't pay the extra fee to hire me before my contract expires. It would be nice if it was a 6 month contract, but why the recruiter won't just look at the piece of paper this client signed before hiring me, and just tell me the answer, "6 weeks or 6 months" is beyond me.

 

So, which is it! I can't plan ahead not knowing.

 

The client knows full well going in, how long they need the temp for b/c if they don't, they pay extra money.

 

This is why I hate being a temp. But I have no choice while I need income (I won't do multiple minimum wage jobs).

 

Obv. a full-time job would be great. But until that happens, being stuck in temp-hell is frustrating me. I can see the two HR women from where I sit. One just walked into the other's office.

[basil67]

I've done temping. Almost all of them have been option d) I don't sign a contract, I work there till they no longer need me or I move on because I found something else - whichever happens first.

 

You don't mention signing a contract for this particular role, so to me, this makes the position open sound open ended. That said, perhaps employment laws are different where you live? How does it work that the client pays extra money if the end date of the position is unknown?

[Mr. Lucky]

How does it work that the client pays extra money if the end date of the position is unknown?

 

The fee is for hiring the temp worker, who is basically doing an extended audition.

 

Watercolors, your best bet is to act as though you'll have this job until retirement and conduct yourself accordingly. That's the only part under your control ...

 

Mr. Lucky

[Watercolors]

basil67 you don't understand how temping works. A business needs a receptionist so they hire a temp agency. The temp agency sends an account executive to meet with them and explain their financial options. The business decides and signs a contract binding them to agree to pay the agency "x" amount for "x" amount of time.

 

No business in the U.S. anywhere, can hire a temp and pay for a temp without signing a contract.

 

No temp can temp for an agency without signing a contract as well as signing paperwork for tax purposes. That contract states that you will complete each temp assignment you agree to do, from start to finish. If you fail to complete your temp assignment, for medical reasons or you are fired from your temp assignment, that contract you signed with your temp agency is what the temp agency uses to fire you with. You signed a contract promising your services to the temp agency and if you fail to deliver, you are fired from the temp agency for not fulfilling your contract.

 

The business is required to pay a penalty fee to the temp agency if they:

 

a) hire the temp before the temp's contract is over.

i) A temp is hired to work 6 weeks. The temp is hired permanently by the

business before the 6-week contract is up.

ii) the business now must pay the penalty fee that compensates the temp

agency for losing their temp to the business. This is just how it's done.

The fee is meant to deter businesses from hiring/firing temps which costs

the temp agency money every time they have to find a new temp, pay

that new temp, and rewrite a new contract for that business to allow that

new temp to finish the previous temp's contract.

 

If the business chooses to extend the assignment, the temp agency makes more money off both the temp (takes out more taxes from the temp's paychecks over time) and the business (charges the business more money for not adhering to a fixed contract).

 

Are you in the U.S.?

[Foxhall]

On the positive side you have returned to the workforce pretty quickly after your recent setback in the other job,

 

perhaps look at this as an opportunity to get some money together without making a long term commitment,

 

give you time to decide where you would like to go over the next few years.

[basil67]

No, I'm not in the US. This is why I suggested that perhaps the laws are different where you live. What you are describing as a temp is what we call a contractor. As in, you have a contract to work X amount of time. Whereas a temp - for us - has no contract and stays till either they leave or they are not needed anymore.

 

For this job, did you sign contract for this company committing yourself for X amount of time?

Edited November 2, 2019 by basil67

[Watercolors]

Foxhall yes it's fortunate that I found a temp job two days after being fired. I applied for unemployment and on their reason for firing me, the company wrote "position was eliminated and merged." Interesting too, that they refused to pay me for my last week of work. So, i contacted a legal aid attorney to write them a letter demanding that they pay me my last week of work. If they don't pay up, my state's dept of labor can then go after them to pay me.

 

But I'm so frustrated. Am i there 6 weeks or 6 months? I can't play my future, even the next 3-4 months as far as housing etc. if I don't know where my income is coming from. I was counting on my wages from my last week of work to pay my rent for November but had to dip into my savings.

 

Also, I had to cancel the lease on an apartment I signed when I had my job, so I lost my deposit and god knows if/when the landlord will mail me my portion of rent I paid as part of my application fee. So, being fired, not being paid, not getting my rent back made me take a huge financial hit.

 

That's why I NEED to know how long I'll be at this client's because 6 months is much better than 6 weeks where regular income is concerned. Why they won't just tell me, I don't know. Sure, the client I'm temping for could change their mind and make my assignment open ended. They could fire me tomorrow and decide not to pursue a temp to fill their role anymore. It's just very financially stressful.

[Watercolors]

basil as I already tried to explain, in the U.S. if you join a temp agency you sign a contract that you understand that temp agency's policies of completing an assignment and the penalty (being fired from the temp agency) for not completing the temp assignments you agree to do.

 

You can't just quit a temp assignment and do whatever you want. If you do that, you'll be fired from the temp agency and not allowed to pursue temp jobs through them anymore. Temp assignments range in length as I wrote in my OP.

[basil67]

Ok, so you signed a contract saying that you understand the temp agencies policies.....and about completing the assignment. What was the term stated on the document you signed?

[Pastypop]

Start looking for a new gig. They are going to likely wait and tell you until the day they let you go. When I did temp/contact work, I always started applying to other jobs three to four months before my current contract ended and always left the currrent contract for the new one. Never stick around hoping to be made permanent. When temping, always, always look out for your best interests and not that of the Recuriter or for the employer who just wants to work you to death, treat you like crap and not even pay you for holidays or time off to spend time with family or go to the doctor.

[Watercolors]

Hey Pastpop, so glad someone can commiserate with me on how heinous temping actually is. I hate it so much I think it's going to give me cancer.

 

You are spot on about how slimy and divisive recruiters are, too. Case in point. I joined a new temp agency and the recruiter "claims" she submitted me for an admin role, but that my application was rejected. Something about her voice made me think she was lying. AND SHE WAS.

 

So, to test my hunch that the recruiter was lying to me, I applied directly to the position on the employer's website since it was posted there, and got a phone interview 3 days later. When I was called for the phone interview I asked the hiring manager if she'd received my resume from the temp agency recruiter who "claims" she submitted it. The answer was, no, she never heard of that recruiter or received me as a job candidate from that recruiter.

 

Can you believe that?!?! So, despite not getting an in-person interview (I got a rejection email after my phone interview) I felt vindicated that I was able to prove that this recruiter lied, and that I was able to still get a phone interview without the recruiter's help in this case.

 

To add insult to my injury by this recruiter, the temp agency "impeached" me (for lack of a better word) because I blew the whistle on this recruiter lying to me, then getting caught by me, when I verified with the prospective employer verbally that she never had been contacted by this recruiter about me in the first place. So, that temp agency won't work with me or switch me to another recruiter, because I dare to complain to them about what their "star" recruiter did to me.

 

But what I don't understand is, why I can't get phone interviews every time I submit my application to the employer's website. I think since June I've applied to about 100 jobs total. I go by my sent folder in my email to keep track.

 

I like your strategy of applying to other jobs before your current temp job ends. Did you do that with other temp agencies? How do you do that without telling the other temp agency that you're on an assignment. Do you keep the current assignment off the resume you send to the other temp agency?

 

I'm constantly applying for jobs. But, since I pigeon-holed myself by taking contract jobs for the past 10 years, I can't convince any prospective employers to give me a chance for a job interview. So far, nada.

 

I really hate temping. And recruiters.

[Pastypop]

I treat contract work like a real estate business. When you are making money, life is good when not so well. First and for most, you need to think of yourself and not the companies and the temp agencies. Determine what kind of pay and benefits you need, determine if you want holiday pay and vacation pay. Negotiate those things in with the Recuriter especially in this economy. Always remember that recruiters are sales people and simply close the deal so they get paid. Also remember when working temp or contract, that you will probably be working with the biggest, meanest ******* in the organization. If the Recuriter says this person wants some to work 8-5 and is conscious about time, run. This person would be a micromanager. Next, always listen to what they tell you. If they say thee contract is for 4-6 weeks, go with 4 weeks and in the meantime take every waking moment including work time to find a new gig. If no one has approached you two to three months before you contract expires, get another job and leave that contract. They will usually only give you two weeks to one days notice if your contract is ending. Also, watch this company on the stock market, in the news and listen in on conversations you aren’t supposed to here. If you hear or see anything negative, get out of there before they sack alll the temps. If you need time off, never ever make it about you no matter how sick you are or if you just want time off to go to the beach. Just say it’s emergency surgery that you need to assist with. Do not friend any of these people on social media until the assignment ends. Do not talk about yourself too much and do not say anything that could make them jealous or envious. Always, always run you temp career like a business and keep your finances in check. Remember, it just business if you leave a contract early. You have bills to pay and they can’t or won’t offer you additional opportunities. Carry as little debt as possible and live for the now. There is no future in temping but try to save and invest whatever you can. Also, try to get your insurance, life and so forth through an independent agent instead of all these temp companies so you have consistency in your care and not a bunch of gaps. Temping is bad for your health so you need to be able to get medical care when you need it. Maybe do a work from side gig with Amazon do make a little extra pocket money have some consistency or heck, get a real estate license. That might work out and it will help learn to speak and market yourself more. Who knows, you might make a killing and leave temping forever. On your resume, list your contract jobs and sell that ****. Offer up all the knowledge and experience you can bring to the table. Good luck with your journey! Also, it’s not kosher in this business to ask about extensions, you can hint like, how are we going to provide coverage over Christmas to see their reaction. It will tell you if they plan on retaining you that long. But note, most contracts last around 15 months or less. The IRS and DOJ look down on companies who do not convert employees after 2 years so most are shown the door around the 1 year mark. Also, per temp contracts, most employers cannot hire a temp employee for up to year after the end of service or will have to pay the conversion fee. Sorry for all the jumbled up mess. Was trying to put everything down and not forget anything. Hope this is helpful!!

[Pastypop]

A couple more things. Always try to get a signing bonus which usually gets you a year of employment because if they let you go, you probably get to keep the money but don’t spend it for a year, just in case.

 

Also, only get short term leases. You don’t want to be stuck in a lease and get a new gig and hour and 1/2 away that you will have drive daily putting more wear and tear on your car. Always have money to pay the termation fee.

 

Temping is expensive. Full-time employees get the pleasure of investing their money or using it for fun stuff while temps have to always have money squared away and a back up plan or two.