So how does a temp agency work?

[FortFunFoSho]

I am thinking about not going on spring break and getting a temp job for a week. How do they pay you? Would I get it same day? Do I have to wait a screening period?

 

[cressida]

depends on what temp agency but they find you a job, and the employer pays them a certain amount and they take some out of the amount and give you the rest.

 

[shopbruin]

go to the agency and ask.

when i worked for a staffing company, every week i had to fax or drop in my time sheet, signed by the people i worked for. the staffing company paid me once a week - they bill the company that asked for the help.

they'll do a screening sort of interview, and ask what you want to do, etc. they might make you take some tests - typing speed, knowledge of certain applications, etc, depending on what you want to do.

the wait depends on if they have a job to match the time frame and other aspects that you want.

 

[tcsenter]

So how does a temp agency work?

Temporarily.

 

[rudder]

they hook you up with a job, then your work making half of what your supposed to because the temp agency is getting thier "finders" fee.

 

[RossMAN]

Most temp agencies pay you once a week on Friday for last week's work.

However the first paycheck sometimes doesn't arrive for 2 weeks.

First you'll have to see if they have any jobs that last only 1 week and ask them how long until you get your first paycheck.

 

[fonzinator]

I work for a temp agency called OfficeTeam. I've been working for a company for the past 6 months through them. I get paid every Friday, which is way cool. I get paid decently too, but I wish I was making what this company is paying the temp agency for me No benefits, which stinks big time. But, I'm thankful to even have a job in this economy. If you go through OfficeTeam, PM so I can get a referral bonus...I'll split it with ya

 

[RossMAN]

fonzinator - I hear ya about the benefits (or lack there of). Fortunately my benefits working for a bank are good so my wife can do temp work, eventually she'll find a permanent job but usually temps get paid more than regular employees.

 

[dquan97]

Accountemps and OfficeTeam are owned by the same company, but from my experience, Accountemps pays a little more $.

 

[JonBarillari]

I worked for a temp agency making $12 CND an hour plus 4% vacation pay (no benefits)... after about 9 months the place decided they needed me longer than 'temp' and hired me directly.... now I'm making > $25 CND an hour (including 4% vacation pay and 6% for benefits) at the lowest pay level for my position and I'm still doing exactly the same job. figure that one?!? When I asked the agency what they were keeping for themselves they wouldn't tell me, gee... I wonder why.

 

[amnesiac]

It's a good way to get steady short term work.

Expensive for employers though - they pay the temp agency about half of what you get, so if you get $10/hr, the company is paying the temp agency $15/hour.

 

[rh71]

In my experience, I got paid the Friday that covered the same week I worked. They just assume a full 7.5 hours each day, unless you indicate otherwise when you fax in your timesheet... then they'd just adjust it on the next paycheck the following week. Of course all agencies work differently. I don't know if a 1-week stint would be easy to find, let alone worth the time it takes to test you (couple of hours, at least... depending)...

 

[TrueBlueLS]

Any more experiences on this? I think I might give this a shot come Monday.

 

[BigSmooth]

I worked for temp agencies whenever I was home on a break during college. The pay is generally mediocre and the jobs are often boring but there's really no other way to work for a week at a time here and there.

 

[hawkeye81x]

I worked for about 6 weeks on summer for AppleOne.
The work was lame (mostly filing and calling people's homes regarding files).
Some data entry (which is what I was suppose to be hired for).

$8/hr. Got paid every Friday for that week's work assuming you went it every day for 8 hours.
Pretty good for short-term things, unless you want it to turn into a long-term office assisting thing.
I was also offer an accounting job when I went in, but I didn't know how to use Peachtree.
The more office productivity software you are familiar with the better.
They tested my typing skills, MS Word/Excel knowledge and hired me when a job opened up.