The temporary employment take over of America.

Yep, temp agencies should be outlawed. They leach money out of the economy. Money that would be going to the employee and used to buy goods instead goes into the pockets of corporations.

reply to post by inverslyproportional


I'm feeling you man. I'm afraid I might have to pawn some of my stuff for the money...two guitars (one's old, the others is in pretty good condition aside from a change of strings), my rocksmith video game, some jewelry and coins- I have a 1934 wheat penny, a 1941 nickel plus some foreign European currency before they went to the Euro.

I remember selling some in college, really hard for me to part with it because they were gifts from my grandma...some old pieces.

That's why I'm working hard at my local TV station to get experienced with the equipment, because I may not be an actor, but by hell I'll make a darn good cinematographer so I can pay off my student loans.

I can't imagine what young people go through when they have no experience. I know when I was in my twenties the HR people pointed out the lack of experience due to being young. I used to say to them, If I can't get a job to aquire experience, then how do you think I'm ever going to get some? Of course they had no answer for this.

I can attest to this.

When an employer tells me this, I have to bite my tongue and not say why do you think I come here if not to gain experience, in an effort not to be rude.

I don't understand the world anymore.

Companies use temp. agencies for these reasons:

(1) Interview skills are hard to hone
(2) They are lazy and would rather outsource the screening process.
(3) The position is short term and does not allow for the traditional hiring process.

Jobs are easy to find, careers are hard to find. I took a low paying job after my BA – guess what: after a year I’ve been offered positions that pay three times what I make… by customers. One offer I am seriously mulling over.

Join an organization like the Lions Club or Rotary; volunteer for United Way or something like that - those are great networking opportunities.

I guess I'm just disgusted with the way that employers are treating thier employees nowadays. It is really sad that they view you as disposable and someone whom is easily replaceable. It only goes to show the gravity of the situation our economy is in.

Employers are trying to line thier pockets with more and more money cause I guarantee the prices of thier products do not go down... Obviously products have come up in price is this not true? Company's are trying to get richer and richer by neglecting the needs of thier employees and boosting the prices on thier merchandise.

Back in the day I don't even know if this still exists but when company's were doing really good, there was an incentive called profit sharing. This I have not heard of in ages.

But anyways yes temp service have done a great deal of damage to people. They very strongly benefit the company. I truly think that is the only real reason that they are in business and used by company's.

I hate to have to use a temp service but right now in my life I do not have the luxury of choice. Bills are stacking and I have to do something. That is where they take advantage of the little guy.

When I used to get work through staffing agencies up until 2008, I had a great time. In my line of work, I was making over $30/hour + $150 per diem to go out to whatever remote location I was needed at. In some cases, that included being in the middle of the Bering Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Aleutian Islands, or some remote work camp for a few months.

The money was good. I would then come home and wait for the next one. I was averaging over $30,000 a year for about 6-8 months of work. But around 2008, the economy really took a nose dive. Most of the available contract jobs quickly dried up in my field of work.

So now I work a steady full time job with minimal travel. It pays quite a bit less but has good benefits.

All in all, my experiences with temp agencies were good. However, I did contract work. Not temp-to-hire work.

Not to argue on the side of the temp company but, my wife is the Controller for one here in NC. Don't blame the temp companies. Blame the companies that use the temp service. It saves them tons & tons of money. I mean tons of money. And why are business's in business? To make money. Most companies use this as a filter. They filter out the ones they don't want. Keep the ones they do.

Temp companies also help in the areas of the country that are under Union controll. Can't get that job because it's Union. Then temp company is for you. Not all temp agencies are the same. Allways use one that is temp to hire positions.If you have a degree, use a Employment Placement Company. They find jobs for the folks with degree's and make big money. For temp agencies, this is where the real money is. These temporary Employment Agencies area product of the employers desire to lower their over all cost of doing business.

And there's times even the Temp agency can't find folks who will work. They want a check, but they don't want to work. Damn that sounds like about 35% of America.

There's also many industries that have a busy time & a slower time. These industries use temp companies more than any other industry. Food industry is one, canned goods, baked goods, frozen goods. etc.

reply to post by openyourmind1262


In my area the temp to hire thing is just a scam to use people.The temp agency's are not to blame ,but they are enablers.

My experience with them has been less than satisfying. My first temp position was with a plating company. At my interview they were impressed with my experience and told me that the position was temp to hire. They said that after the three month contract was up they would hire me on permanent.

I took the job and after the three months were up nobody had spoken with me about being hired. I asked them about it and they said that they didn't have the money to hire me on, but when they did they would hire me. they spoke about how pleased they were with the work I had done so far. My niave thoughts were, well they like me so they will keep their word.

Nothing could have been further from the truth. After a year and a month. After I had completed all the plant upgrades they wanted done , they let me go. Truth is they never intended to hire me. they wanted an experienced person to get their plant updated. So I got used and then was thrown away.

My next experience was a bit different. I was interviewed by the guy who would be my supervisor. He to, was happy with my experience and told me the job was temp to hire. I accepted the job and was suprised that my duties ended up being drudge work. I wondered why I was not told that my true skills were not being used as it was clear from the condition of the equipment that they were needed. I attempted to ask the supervisor why, but he was always busy telling me how wonderful he was, and never answered me.after two and a half months of drudge work. I was approached by a coworker who said that his conscience was bothering him ,and could he talk with me.

I said sure. he told me that they were about to let me go and The reason was because the supervisor was trying to get his son in. He told me that the guy was a druggie and they needed me to fill in while he got cleaned up to pass a drug test. He said that he didn't understand why they would let me go since I had done everything asked of me with no complaints.

That was on a friday they let me work monday and didn't even have the guts to tell me to my face I was being let go. They had my temp guy call me when I got home. They gave him no reason for letting me go. I stay in touch with my coworker and he told me a week later that the supervisors kid had not passed the drug test so he didn't get a job there.

About a week after I got that news, I was looking through jobsites as I do everyday, when much to my suprise I saw the supervisors job posted on several sites. I found that very funny , because he used to brag to me how he was wonderful and irreplacable. I know it was his job because that company had some rather odd bennys and they were in the list.

So here I am still looking for a job. having been used by companies twice. Now I wouldn't usually think much of this, but I have had the opportunity to chat with a few other experienced people who have had similar experiences with the local temp agencies. The truth is that corporations use the temp agencies to use people to get what they want. The corporations profit, the agencies profit and the people suffer and struggle.

This is a problem. So what is the solution? I have no idea. Something needs to be done about it, as far as I'm concerned it's no more than slavery with pay and little pay at that.

reply to post by lonegurkha


I can't blame you for the way you feel about temp companies. I did commercial, residential, industrial electrical work for 29 years. I now work for myself. Ive been my own boss since 07. Just got sick & tired of the "temps" the company I worked for used. I had 22 men under me on the last project, I could not communicate with 16 of them as they did not speak english. And I sure as hell aint learning spanish.

There's good employment agency's & there's bad ones. Problem is the bad ones get all the press. The good ones go un-noticed. Since 07 Ive worked for the nicest SOB on the planet.....Hope some good times roll your way friend. Stay positive, it allways worked for me.

reply to post by openyourmind1262

Just to let you know, it is looking good that a phone interview I had last week will lead to a direct hire. It's for a job that oddly, I'm uniquely qualified for. I have a great deal of experience in the chemical industry as an operator and as a maintenance mechanic. I also have some supervisory experience. These people are looking for somebody with my qualifacations to supervise a water treatment plant they are taking over.

They said they would call me next month as they will be in the area for face to face meetings. So it's looking good for this one and hopefully I'll be getting away from the temp agency thing. The guy who interviewed me will be running the project and he seemed really interested in my skills, as i have operated a system similar to this before. The implication was that I would supervise and train 3 younger guys in operations and maintenance.So things may be looking up. Thanks for your concern. It is appreciated.

Originally posted by Enemyc0mbatant
I guess I'm just disgusted with the way that employers are treating thier employees nowadays. It is really sad that they view you as disposable and someone whom is easily replaceable. It only goes to show the gravity of the situation our economy is in.

Employers are trying to line thier pockets with more and more money cause I guarantee the prices of thier products do not go down... Obviously products have come up in price is this not true? Company's are trying to get richer and richer by neglecting the needs of thier employees and boosting the prices on thier merchandise.

Back in the day I don't even know if this still exists but when company's were doing really good, there was an incentive called profit sharing. This I have not heard of in ages.

But anyways yes temp service have done a great deal of damage to people. They very strongly benefit the company. I truly think that is the only real reason that they are in business and used by company's.

I hate to have to use a temp service but right now in my life I do not have the luxury of choice. Bills are stacking and I have to do something. That is where they take advantage of the little guy.

You right and I agree with your post 100%. I worked for many #ty jobs, but the worst one was working for union as a night-loader in a cold warehouse. Worked from 6pm to 6,7 even 9 or 10am some days, with only one 30-minute break and that's it. I hated that job, I hated how they monitor and count the amounts you load and every other employee can see how much you load and how fast you work or slow, they make the workers fight with each other and compete, and it's always the young people that work there quitting every 2-3 months. I hate unions because of that all corrupted mafia that sits on top and collects your money.

I went back to school because I never had the chance before but now I do. Anyway, its a dog-eat-dog world, its a sad, sadistic type of a world, but you got to keep your head up and find something that makes you smile and live for it.