Need advice re: recruitment agency job - leaving/coming back?

chaotic_j

Hi all,

I was recently looking for a job and I applied for a few (not loads.. just a few select ones). I found with a recruitment agency what looked on paper to be the perfect job for me and I had been chasing it for quite some time.

I am currently placed in this job which runs from 4:45PM - 8:45PM, Monday-Friday - 20 hours per week i.e. part-time; minimum wage. What mainly attracted me to it was the hours (it left me with time to work on my self-employment during the day) and the fact I thought I'd be learning new/improving current skills.

Anyway, the job has turned out to be OK.. not the best job in the world not the worst job in the world, I haven't really learned anything and I doubt that I will.. it's basically a minimum wage factory job which is mostly unskilled.

Now for the part I need advice on please.. I got a conditional offer for a Census 2011 job on a Friday, and on the following Monday morning I was accepted and started, the job I'm working in now. I am at the end of my 4th week in the job today.

I'd like to do the Census job but they expect you to work 2PM - 9PM with 70% of hours in the evenings / at the weekends. Obviously weekends are fine but I can't see myself being able to do the job I'm in now as well as the Census job.

I think the Census job would look good on my CV and I'd like the experience of doing it. It would get me out of the house and about which I also see as a positive. It also pays more per hour as well as being full time 37 hours.

Now I'm in a quandry.. my current part-time job gives me some much needed guaranteed income each week, I was wondering what the likelihood of, me leaving the recruitment agency part-time job, doing the Census job, then getting taken back on at the recruitment agency part-time job would be? The census job runs from 6 April to 6 May this year.

I was thinking of asking the employer directly i.e. my supervisor, but I'm a bit worried that they may either get rid of me immediately (my contract says either I, the employer or the recruitment agency can terminate the contract with no notice), I'm also unsure as to whether I'd need to put my request to the employer or the recruitment agency.

I was also thinking I could just leave it until the Census job nearly starts, but then I may upset both employer and recruitment agency as I hadn't given any notice of my intentions. Obviously if I didn't intend on going back there or using them again that wouldn't matter but I can't guarantee I'll find another part-time job and I wouldn't like to unecessarily burn my bridges so to speak.

I can make reasonable money from my Self-Employment but I struggle to get motivated, I get bogged down etc. that's also partly the reason I took the part-time job, to give me some motivation. It's working but I'm worried that I'll fall back into a slump if I finish it.

Need advice urgently please.. thank you so much.

wine_night

I think that what you have to consider is that the Census job is fixed term for one month only. Yes, it will look good on your CV but you have to face the reality that once the 6th May has passed, you may have to search again for a position which suits the hours you have stated.

What struck me is that in your post you have noted that you took the part time job in order for you to concentrate on your self-employment during the day, but at the end of your post you said that you "struggle to motivate yourself" in your self employment. Where do you see yourself going with this?

From your post, it doesn't sound as if you are particularly happy with the part time job, or your self-employed pursuits either. Does your self employment have to be pursued during office hours or could you perhaps look for a full-time job with better prospects and training etc and do your self employment at evenings and weekends?

fedster

I had a similar experience to you i used to work for an agency,but i needed some time of because i had a chance to go Travelling with a few friends, i basically told the Agency this as well as the Top manager, and the both said i was welcome back,so i after my holiday i got back, worked though the agency for a while, and then they made me permnant.

If you show your manager, as well as the Agency that you are hard worker, reliable, as well as hitting your targets constantly, then you will have there respect thus them giving you some leeway when you need time of.