temp tips for a newbie?

starsinmycrown

Hi everybody, Well i've been out of work now since december and have always somehow managed to find at least a permanentish job, but I'm going to have to admit defeat and approach a temping agency. This will be my first time doing this and i know little about the process. I signed up to one many moons ago and they rang me about a year later saying they had work!

I'm a little bit nervous about doing it because I've always worked with kids or with people with learning disabilities. I've had some short office stints that were fairly successful, but I came in as a friend of a friend to help them out of a sticky patch, and I had friends to ask if I got stuck. My typing is what I'm most worried about. I can type with one hand but as fast as the next man, (learnt at school, holding my rough copy in my left hand and typing with my right!) and I can work out the hang of most computer packages with a quick tutorial and a bit of time, but i'm really inexperienced besides this, and jesus, if anybody sees me doing a typing test I think they'll wonder what's going on! It's because of my lack of experience in an office that I find statements such as: "ability to work under pressure/to deadlines" or "accuracy needed" quite worrying!

I managed to type letters one handedly in my last job, but I had to make sure nobody actually saw me! An audio typist who can't type! ha! Mind you, I did find trying to hide my lack of experience quite stressful. People keep telling me that an office job is not hard, but I really don't feel as though I have a cat in hell's chance especially with all the competition around now! But hey, I'll give it a go. If I humilate myself I can always move on?

So does anybody have any advice for a temping newbie, or can anybody recommend any decent agencies in the leicester area? x

mazza111

No recommendations for you, but if it's your typing skills that's letting you down, why not try one of the self taught typing programs that are available for children and get out the habit of only using one hand. I'm sure there is one of these programs available on the BBC's website.

LittleVoice

It is probably better to use two hands for typing - but I have taught "touch typing" to someone who had the use of only one hand and the thumb of another.

What is your actual speed of typing in words a minute? You can find online sites which test this or you can use a typing text book to find some text to use.

bookduck

"....they rang me about a year later saying they had work!" I would check with a few, just to make sure they still have work!

The environment where people have special needs can often be a bit slower, more forgiving, even caring than a commercial environment.

The company I work for hires and fires quite a few temps (and permies too) over many years.

Firstly, realize you will get fired. Perhaps not in your first job or so, but eventually you will get fired. Don't let this surprise you, or catch you unaware as it is part of a temps career and happens to all the temps I have known, Hence their coffee quote below.

If you have difficulty with getting on with a perm member of staff, if is easier to get rid of the temp, no matter how good the temp is or who her work friends are, so learn to bite your tongue and smile.

Be aware of time keeping - always be early or on time.

Do not take the P, or become complacent, being a temp means you are always on a short leash. Keep thinking "I have to behave like a Spaniel!"

All than you need as a temp is a pen and your coffee. Don't start making the place your own with pictures and stuff on your table and in your drawer. There will be times then you contract will abruptly end. Waiting for security to box your things, or waiting in the foyer for your goods to be brought to you, may be embarrassing. Most of us can afford to loose a jar of coffee and don't want to spend our final day lugging our crud home.

view

Hi, I temped when I came over to the UK 7 years ago for quite a lot of companies.

Just focus on your positives, think of all the good things you ahve done and bring these up in your agency interviews. Be smartly dressed, smiley (you have no idea how much this helps!) and think about possible answers to questions before you go in.

Always have a few questions you want to ask - this shows you're using your brain and being proactive - they like this.

Be personable - ask them how they are, did they have a nice weekend - what about this weather!! show your personable side also.

Be open and flexible - if you say you only want a job directly in eg city centre, you're discounting a lot of businesses. Be open to doing different things. It doesn't hurt if they offer you somehting outwith your normal scope, you may just find a new great career!

Lastly - have a look on the agency's website - find out some information about their company and most don't show it, but see if you can find some of the companies they place staff in - knowledge about different companies is a huge seller in an interview!

Just let me reiterate - smile, be happy, be professional, be flexible, do some homework (digging) and focus the conversations on the positive and you'll have no problems at all!

Good luck!

PS just on the above post, I worked for 7 companies in 5 years and loved it, - was not fired once - focus on positives, not negatives. Also had more than a coffee cup and pen on my desk in each and every one!

Hawksley

If you have experience of working with children and special needs, have you thought about approaching agencies that supply education staff (teaching assistants, nursery assistants). Special schools often need supply teaching assistants every day and agencies look for people with experience in this field. Just a thought.

Horace

I have had some more recent experience of temp agencies although 12 years' ago I was a permanent temp as I loved moving from place to place.

If you are looking specifically at office work, you will be expected to do a typing test, they won't let you go out into an office job unless you are up to speed. If it is legal work as an audio typist you will be expected to be able to type between 70-80 words per minute.

Some agencies will give you lessons on various types of software that you may be expected to use within an office environment.

However, as someone else has mentioned wouldn't you be better off trying to temp for a specialist agency where you can work with children rather than trying to break into something that you don't have the qualifications or experience for?

firesidemaid

i know all jobs are hard to come by at the moment, so be prepared to do anything.

i temped for a while firstly in my own profession, but then also as a temp doing anything that came up - i can type with both hands but i never had an office job, too much competition i think.

but, i was quite happy to do anything from cleaning to conference staff as long as it paid a wage (even if it was a third of what i was used to).

Deep_In_Debt

There is a lot of competition for office temps. I've been temping at the same company, for the same agency since October and quite enjoying it (was 12 years in my last company and got made redundant).

I did have to go through a typing test, Excel and Powerpoint test but as a PA/Office Manager it wasn't really a problem. The agency I am with (a big High Street one) do offer free courses or practice sessions on their computers. I'm not sure what they entail though.

Also, as others have said, there are on-line courses you could do from home.

As for being a temp, I have already made some friends where I am and even got invited to their Christmas do (paid for by the agency!) as they said I was part of the team and should be invited despite the fact I'd only been there 2 months at that point and a temp!

Having been out of the job market for a while and being more mature, I didn't think I stood a chance of getting any temp work but if you are flexible, then there is work there.

Good luck in your search.

lynzpower

Why dont you work through a social care agency if thats what youve been doing?

Reliance are pretty good, seem like a good co from what my colleagues say and theres one in Leicester

http://www.reliancecare.com/candidate/jobsearch/results.cfm

Sharon87

Some agencies offer more than just temporary work. If you tell them you're available for permanent work (if you want it that is). They may send you to a few interviews.

At the minute agencies are quiet as the companies can't afford to pay the agnecy money as well as your wages.