Crappy temp job offer

[UncleWai]

I have been unemployed for a month. I got a crappy temp accounting assistant offer(I think they just want to avoid the term clerk) from the hospital management here in Hong Kong. The pay is slightly higher than McDonald I think. The low pay is really hurting my pride. Should I take the offer and just quit whenever I find something else to do?

I don't really want to burn the bridge on this field though because I kinda want to come back to work for the hospital management eventually.
So my question is, will I piss the employer off if I quit in a couple months in case I find a better job?

 

[sonambulo]

I'm not really sure about business etiquette in HK but here Stateside if you take a temp job, it's just that. Temporary. You shouldn't feel bad about quitting in a few months if you get something better.

 

[Synomenon]

If it's a "temp." job, will they really care if you quit in a couple of months?

 

[dawp]

how are your finances? If you can hold off, I would. is this position through an agency or the hospital directly? tho sometimes a temp job can turn permenent.

 

[UncleWai]

Hospital directly. I don't have any financial concern, but my concern is my real work experience, I have none!
Was planning to look for some banking jobs, but the banking job market in here has turned to complete shit.

So I guess it's understandable for both sides about quitting abruptly right?
I plan to just go take the job since I feel pretty useless while being unemployed.
There's a perk in this job, I get free healthcare from hospital except dental work. So I will just earn my fringe benefit by getting some physiotherapy for my knees and my hip.

 

[AlienCraft]

Looking for a job is a lot like looking for a girlfriend. Nobody wants you when you're alone, but get hooked up, and the offers come out of the woodwork.
Take the job, remember that it's "temporary" by it's own description, and increase the job search efforts in your chosen field.

 

[Bignate603]

Some money is better than no money. As long as it won't make finding another job impossible you should take it. AlienCraft is right too, when you've got a job its easier to get a job.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Originally posted by: UncleWai
Hospital directly. I don't have any financial concern, but my concern is my real work experience, I have none!
Was planning to look for some banking jobs, but the banking job market in here has turned to complete shit.

If the hospital job is working in accounts it would be worthwhile for the experience.

Any experience in the field > none

 

[BoomerD]

The experience you should gain by working in the field should be much more value to you than the meager pay. Not everyone can start at 6 figures per year after graduating...(although most of ATOT does/did I'm sure.)

Since it's offered as a temporary job, take it...until you find a better one.

In my 35+ years of working, it always seemed like it was harder getting a job when you're NOT working than when you are.

Aliencraft worded it differently:

Looking for a job is a lot like looking for a girlfriend. Nobody wants you when you're alone, but get hooked up, and the offers come out of the woodwork.

But the meaning is the same. PLUS, this will give you an opportunity to prove yourself in the field, not just offer a few college classes and maybe a degree on the resume.
Big plus on the free medical care...that's a sweet extra.

 

[dbk]

I got turned down for a job because they felt that with the low pay I would get discouraged and end up hating the job. WTF?

 

[imported_Imp]

OP is right that they probably don't want to use the term 'clerk'. I'm temping now and I'm a Jr. Administrator. Sounds big, don't it? It's well, well below receptionist and support assistant, both of which I've done.

Don't be afraid of quitting, just don't quit abruptly without giving your 2 weeks notice, or don't quit less than a month in. Management knows that the job they are hiring for is high turn over. That's probably part of the reason it's temp.

Even if you have no money issues now, just take it. Any income is better than eating off your savings. Just don't get your hopes up about turning permanent there. It's just a carrot on a stick to get you to work harder or kiss ass while they keep renewing your contract, or get ready to dump you when you start showing displeasure.

 

[2Xtreme21]

I did temp work for 3 months between my last job and my current one. It was awful, and I was doing menial manual labor for a good chunk of it, but I don't think there's any shame in it. It beats not having money and not being able to pay your bills.

 

[MadAmos]

In my experience Temp workers are often used as way to find a permanent employee with out the baggage of firing them if they are not a good fit, Is this a possibility in this case? I started my current career that way and now earn > that 150k/year in a management level for job for a great company that was willing to take a chance on me. I am presently the only person at this level in the company with only a High School diploma, the best part is I have not topped out yet and with a little hard work I could be making 50% more in another year.

 

[Double Trouble]

I see that temp job (even with the relatively low pay) as a very good opportunity and I'd take it. First, it gives you an income when you're currently unemployed. That's a good thing. In addition, and probably more importantly, it gives you some experience in the "real world" that will certainly help you continue your career and find other opportunities. Too many people scoff at those "lousy" jobs, not realizing that they can be critical in your career development.

 

[imported_Imp]

Originally posted by: Double Trouble
I see that temp job (even with the relatively low pay) as a very good opportunity and I'd take it. First, it gives you an income when you're currently unemployed. That's a good thing. In addition, and probably more importantly, it gives you some experience in the "real world" that will certainly help you continue your career and find other opportunities. Too many people scoff at those "lousy" jobs, not realizing that they can be critical in your career development.

True. Despite how pointless and crappy my job is (everything I'm doing is redundant, and can be done in 20 seconds if we had a coder/IT to write a small program to batch load this shit in all at once), I have picked something very important up: proper/better resume writing. After going through a hundred resumes, I have an idea of what is a deal killer and what stands out.Now I know what the industry I want to get into wants. It's the little things that are really worth it.

 

[finite automaton]

Take it.

Job > No Job

 

[Jeff7]

I worked at a warehouse which hired through a temp agency. The quitting "policy" there was usually to just stop showing up. One guy even walked out at lunchtime on his first day.

I quit with a few days notice; when I was looking for a job the next summer, they originally said they weren't hiring, but saw that I received an "A" for my previous work there, and offered me a position again.

So like others have said, if it's anything like it is here in the States, a temp job is almost always going to be a short term thing. The employer's expectations generally aren't that high to begin with.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Unless you have good prospects to get a better job, as in, something already potentially lined up, I would take it right away. Better then nothing. And since it's temp that makes it easier to quit or tough it out for full term, but know that eventually you'll be out if you find other plans.

 

[Zee]

you have to manage your time carefully, make sure you have sick day or something so that you can go to other interviews during your regular workweek.

 

[Insomniator]

Well, how bad is the pay really?

As stated above, its way easier to get a job when you have one. Its also pay of some kind as opposed to no pay and its a chance to meet new people and get new connections possibly.

I just accepted a temp job @16/hour two months after graduating because of these reasons.