The Temporary Job
Sun., January 23, 12:31 PM
Recycling again: Bren’s comment to my last post rang a bell, as I remembered a letter I wrote to the editor in 1995. I’ve worked for several temp agencies, and I’ve hired temps as well; believe me when I say I know what I’m talking about.
My experience in recent years concerning temporary employment include negative features that were omitted by the writer of the syndicated article, “Temps enjoy changing environment.”
While the employment climate in Chicago (which the writer addressed) may be unlike that of Connecticut, I was also interested in the quotes from spokespersons from temporary agencies, at least two of which happen to be the same company. They operate differently here in New Haven.
Many of the statements are true. Temporary work is flexible and offers change. It is also a wonderful way to learn about a new geographical area. However, believing that a long-term temporary assignment will lead to permanent employment is often a vain hope.
To begin with, the client employer is happy to have a trained worker without the expense of paying benefits. (A temporary employee may encounter hostility from a union because the employer is bypassing those benefits). In addition, the agency will gladly replace a temporary worker without added cost to the client.
The temporary agency has no incentive to place its workers in permanent positions, because a long-term assignment is the easiest money an agency can make. Meanwhile, the client has been advised that it will have to pay a placement fee if the associate (that is, the worker) is hired for a permanent position.
Should a permanent position become open, the company policy is usually to offer it internally first and, indeed, a union may require this. However, investigation shows that some companies then offer it externally before inviting a temporary worker to accept it.
The unkindest cut of all: Accepting a full-time long-term temporary assignment gives you all of the responsibility without any of the benefits. For example, you can’t take time off without forfeiting pay; interviewing for a really permanent position is nearly impossible. And if you actually do seek permanent employment, the prospective new employer often has the attitude that you don’t need it, since you “already have a job.”
All of that doesn’t even get into what I call the the “dark mother syndrome”; younger and younger supervisors are reluctant to acknowledge the talents of someone old enough to be their parent. (“Problem solving? Project management? But you’re a secretary.”) If they unconsciously perceive her as part of their conflict with their own mothers, it’s not her problem, but she hasn’t got a chance to succeed with them. Isn’t it sad to think how much knowledge and experience will be lost because some young twerps couldn’t get along with their mothers?
