I was laid off 7 months ago, but working steadily as an AA (without a security clearance) with the help of local temp agencies. Most companies are still a little reluctant to hire personnel who are not revenue producing, but I'm hanging in there in hopes a direct hire opportunity will present itself soon.

Are there others on the forum who are winding their way through the contract and temp world, working towards a permanent job? Do any of you see a light at the end of the tunnel?

We actually added someone to our staff about a month ago. Our numbers aren't as good as they were a couple of years ago, but we appear to be turning a corner.

DC area is hard to gauge. We're so chained to the federal government that it masks the national sentiment. When we see activity in places like Richmond, San Diego and Dallas, we'll see a corner turn.

ITRADE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DC area is hard to gauge. We're so chained to the
> federal government that it masks the national
> sentiment. When we see activity in places like
> Richmond, San Diego and Dallas, we'll see a corner
> turn.


Heh, MY corner has turned.

WashingTone Locian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We actually added someone to our staff about a
> month ago. Our numbers aren't as good as they were
> a couple of years ago, but we appear to be turning
> a corner.

What industry category?

WashingTone Locian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We actually added someone to our staff about a
> month ago. Our numbers aren't as good as they were
> a couple of years ago, but we appear to be turning
> a corner.

What industry category?

I was in IT for five years and my company was bought out by one of the giants and became one of the "redundant numbers." Then I moved over to Telecommunications and the company took a nose dive after some serious milestone slips.

While the market is trying to regain its footing, businesses are hiring more temps and contracors. In a way, I feel a little "safer" where I am right now - at least I know the terms of my contract and can plan accordingly.

RestonLass Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was laid off 7 months ago, but working steadily
> as an AA (without a security clearance) with the
> help of local temp agencies.


Do you get benefits/health insurance at your temp agency?

I actually do have recent experience with the local job market. Luckily, I wasn't under any pressure to find a new job; I just thought it would be a good career move. Therefore, I wasn't very agressive.

I applied for a few jobs (maybe 5 or 6) in mid May and got two interviews. One I ended up cancelling because the phone interview gave me a bad vibe. The other resulted in a job offer which I accepted in early June. I just started my new job last week and there were six other new employees in my orientation group.

However, my experience may not be typical. There are too many factors - industry, position, timing, etc.

RestonLass Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was laid off 7 months ago, but working steadily
> as an AA (without a security clearance) with the
> help of local temp agencies. Most companies are
> still a little reluctant to hire personnel who are
> not revenue producing, but I'm hanging in there in
> hopes a direct hire opportunity will present
> itself soon.
>
> Are there others on the forum who are winding
> their way through the contract and temp world,
> working towards a permanent job? Do any of you
> see a light at the end of the tunnel?

Temp work is how I got the job I've had for the past 3 years or so. The trick to increasing your odds in getting a direct hire opportunity is to make yourself as indispensable as possible.

I can elaborate, if you want.

--------------------------------------------------------------
13 4826 0948 82695 25847. Yes.

I hire most of my folks through temp agencies. I had an open admin position, and when the person in the position impressed me, I moved them into other positions as they became available. I have hired at least eight people this way over the past couple of years. It is a nice way to try someone out (for both parties). It's much easier to call the temp agency and tell them to not send someone back than deal with shoddy work and have to go through the hassle of writing someone up and conferring with HR a gajillion times before being able to can someone. Better for the team morale, too. I've only had to fire two temps, though. One didn't pass the background screening, so I had no choice. The other just sucked.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Being vague is almost as fun as that other thing.

Melissa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I hire most of my folks through temp agencies. I
> had an open admin position, and when the person in
> the position impressed me, I moved them into other
> positions as they became available. I have hired
> at least eight people this way over the past
> couple of years. It is a nice way to try someone
> out (for both parties). It's much easier to call
> the temp agency and tell them to not send someone
> back than deal with shoddy work and have to go
> through the hassle of writing someone up and
> conferring with HR a gajillion times before being
> able to can someone. Better for the team morale,
> too. I've only had to fire two temps, though.
> One didn't pass the background screening, so I had
> no choice. The other just sucked.


Same experience here. For years, my agency wouldn't let us hire temps
because we had to pay a $1,000.00 finders fee to the temp agency.
Finally, they gave in and let me hire some of the better ones. I looked
for people who learned quickly, came to work on time every day, and
didn't habitually get into squabbles with their co-workers. I had to let
some go soon after their arrival, but you're dead right about how easy
it is to deal with them. The ones who performed well were offered full
time Federal jobs in my section and not one of them turned us down.
They were well worth the finders fee and since then, HR has really eased
up on other sections as well.

I'm doing fine with my job thank you very much and I have a great boss

---------------------------------------------------
W.W.S.D. what would Scooby Doo

I found working to be very inconvenient, so in 2002, I said FUCK IT!

Jobs are for suckers.

I usually start out with interns and hire them on full-time when they finish school. That usually gives me about a year to figure out of they can do the job or not. And they are typically much cheaper hires than people with experience who may or may not have the right attitude to do the job.

Playing great have a good job considering not to much previous experience i mite have just gotten lucky.

tubby Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I found working to be very inconvenient, so in
> 2002, I said FUCK IT!
>
> Jobs are for suckers.


I found working got in the way of my cocaine and hooker habits.

Unfortunately, NOT working really got in the way of my cocaine and hooker habits.

:P

WashingTone Locian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We actually added someone to our staff about a
> month ago. Our numbers aren't as good as they were
> a couple of years ago, but we appear to be turning
> a corner.


hey wanna get me a job? i have no college degree and my spelling and punctuation is horrible, but dont worry, im a slow learner too.

Thurston Moore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> tubby Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I found working to be very inconvenient, so in
> > 2002, I said FUCK IT!
> >
> > Jobs are for suckers.
>
>
> I found working got in the way of my cocaine and
> hooker habits.
>
> Unfortunately, NOT working really got in the way
> of my cocaine and hooker habits.
>
> :P


why not combine your two passions and become a pimp, you'll be snorting yay off a hookers ass faster than you can snap your fingers.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2009 02:18AM by Kenny_Powers.

Kenny_Powers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> why not combine your two passions and become a
> pimp, you'll be snorting yay off a hookers ass
> faster than you can snap your fingers.


Hank Moody was able to snort coke off a hooker's ass just by being a writer. He was even able to have his agent show up at the hotel to pay the hooker.

Maybe that's what I should do. Writers don't have jobs, so it sounds like just the thing for me and tubby!

4 Temping Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RestonLass Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I was laid off 7 months ago, but working
> steadily
> > as an AA (without a security clearance) with
> the
> > help of local temp agencies.
>
>
> Do you get benefits/health insurance at your temp
> agency?

No, I'm working with four agencies regularly and doing a little free lance. I dont' have enough time with any one to quality for benefits.

I'm pretty healthy so I bought a bare-bones health/dental plan with Cinergy. So far I haven't had a need to use it, but if I do, it will cover the medical expenses and I won't lose the house (hopefully). My severance package carried me through March, and I couldn't afford Cobra at $548/month.

MrMephisto Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Temp work is how I got the job I've had for the
> past 3 years or so. The trick to increasing your
> odds in getting a direct hire opportunity is to
> make yourself as indispensable as possible.

I understand what you're saying. That was how I landed my last long-term job (5 years) before the IT Giant bought us and kicked most of us to the curb.

To be honest, I rather enjoyed showing off my skills and making practical recommendations that were actually taken seriously - and of course, the generous bonuses and increases at evaluation time were very nice too. It really isn't that difficult to work smart to make yourself indispensable when you're appreciated. (ADDED) Unfortunately, when you're bought out and rolled into a group with three equally indispensable people vying for the same job, the one with the longest service usually gets the long straw. Nothing personal - that's just the way business works.

After being downsized twice (back-to-back), I think I was just a little too gun shy to focus on making myself indispensable. It seemed more advantageous to play the field and find out where the ground was solid beneath my feet before taking the leap. Plus, temp agencies are a great resource for on-line and on-site training and tutorials.

Keeping my fingers crossed - I hooked up with some old friends who are circulating my resume around their companies to see if there is any interest. These are large companies with much lower risk of an acquisition.

Send good vibes



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2009 02:09PM by RestonLass.