Forums > Help! > Experienced Office Temps (in the UK)
Login/Join to ParticipateSILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom
Posted:
How easy is it to get temp work in an average-sized city (ie Southampton)? What can I do to make myself more desirable as a temp?
I'm currently a student and want to do a years temping on finishing my degree, so I can earn a bit of money for some travelling.
Any advice would be much appreciated, I can't seem to find any advice on UK temping or how likely it is that I'd be able to do it.
Ta
How easy is it to get temp work in an average-sized city (ie Southampton)? What can I do to make myself more desirable as a temp?
I'm currently a student and want to do a years temping on finishing my degree, so I can earn a bit of money for some travelling.
Any advice would be much appreciated, I can't seem to find any advice on UK temping or how likely it is that I'd be able to do it.
Ta
What a wonderful miracle if only we could look through each other's eyes for an instant.
Thoreau
BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,136 posts
Location: Warwickshire, United Kingdom
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,136 posts
Location: Warwickshire, United Kingdom
Posted:
why not get a proper job for a year? More money, more experience when you get back (assuming you don't want to be an office temp all your life)
why not get a proper job for a year? More money, more experience when you get back (assuming you don't want to be an office temp all your life)
SILVER Member
old hand
845 posts
Location: Adelaide, Australia
old hand
845 posts
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Posted:
I did temping in various offices for a year a couple of years ago. I have to say that I agree with flid - it will probably be far easier to get a permenant office job than temping. I found that so much of my time was taken waiting for something to come up. It was good when I got contracts for a few weeks at a time but then when they were up I found myself having a couple of weeks (usually longer) of not working at all. This is all well and good but made me so in debt. What usually happened was that I'd get the odd 2 days work here and there then nothing for ages. Plus I found most of the places I went to pretty unfriendly because they knew I was going to be gone in a couple of days and they gave me the worst mind numbing jobs even though I'd worked in a solicitors for 3 years and could have been far more useful to them. After 1 year of temping (and doing a couple of shifts in a bar every week) I got myself £1250 in debt!
If you still want to go for the temping thing then I suggest that you sign up to as many agencies as you can. Good luck and I hope something turns up!
I did temping in various offices for a year a couple of years ago. I have to say that I agree with flid - it will probably be far easier to get a permenant office job than temping. I found that so much of my time was taken waiting for something to come up. It was good when I got contracts for a few weeks at a time but then when they were up I found myself having a couple of weeks (usually longer) of not working at all. This is all well and good but made me so in debt. What usually happened was that I'd get the odd 2 days work here and there then nothing for ages. Plus I found most of the places I went to pretty unfriendly because they knew I was going to be gone in a couple of days and they gave me the worst mind numbing jobs even though I'd worked in a solicitors for 3 years and could have been far more useful to them. After 1 year of temping (and doing a couple of shifts in a bar every week) I got myself £1250 in debt!
If you still want to go for the temping thing then I suggest that you sign up to as many agencies as you can. Good luck and I hope something turns up!
Slicing the Loaf as we speak.
I need it..... Trust me!
SILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
Posted:
Temp agenices are the epiteme of rubbish.
I have signed up with over 10 over about 4 years.... and I havent been found a thing.
You have to keep hounding at them before they do anything..
Well... in my experience anyway...
Temp agenices are the epiteme of rubbish.
I have signed up with over 10 over about 4 years.... and I havent been found a thing.
You have to keep hounding at them before they do anything..
Well... in my experience anyway...
SILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom
Posted:
Thanks for the tips. I was going for temp work as someone told me it's really easy to get and there's no commitment and little responsibility, which sounded perfect for a year's dossing about... but maybe not. Cheers!
Thanks for the tips. I was going for temp work as someone told me it's really easy to get and there's no commitment and little responsibility, which sounded perfect for a year's dossing about... but maybe not. Cheers!
What a wonderful miracle if only we could look through each other's eyes for an instant.
Thoreau
SILVER Member
old hand
845 posts
Location: Adelaide, Australia
old hand
845 posts
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Posted:
Yeah, on that side of the coin it is good - you don't have to give notice to leave, you have no resonsibility etc but thats if you ever get work. I only did it because I hate getting up in the mornings and I liked the idea of being able to have time off whenever I wanted it! Unfortunately I was just living in some fantasy world!
Yeah, on that side of the coin it is good - you don't have to give notice to leave, you have no resonsibility etc but thats if you ever get work. I only did it because I hate getting up in the mornings and I liked the idea of being able to have time off whenever I wanted it! Unfortunately I was just living in some fantasy world!
Slicing the Loaf as we speak.
I need it..... Trust me!
BRONZE Member
Mistress of Pink...Multicoloured
6,140 posts
Location: Over There, United Kingdom
Mistress of Pink...Multicoloured
6,140 posts
Location: Over There, United Kingdom
Posted:
I find temp work is only easy when you have had a bit of office experiance in the past.
My best advice is get a permanent or contract work.
I find temp work is only easy when you have had a bit of office experiance in the past.
My best advice is get a permanent or contract work.
Never pick up a duck in a dungeon...
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