by Alex Landis

Created on: December 16, 2009   Last Updated: December 17, 2009

In this disparaging economy we've been experiencing the last few years, we've seen record increases in unemployment rates, layoffs, while many companies have shut down completely due to decreases in revenue.

Jobs have become more scarce then ever because of this, and people have been using whatever means necessary of finding a new job. This includes the use of temporary employment services and staffing agencies that help their clients (employers in need of workers), connect job seekers with work, even if it's temporary.

As a person who has used temp agencies with success in the past to help find work, I generally recommend them to anyone who is in need of making money, in addition to whatever other strategies they are using to find work.

As with anything though, there are downsides and potential pitfalls to be aware of when using a temporary staffing agency. In this article I will discuss the major and minor problems to be aware of when seeking work as a temp or contract employee.

1. Temp jobs are.....temporary.

I know this sounds almost too obvious to even say, but the major downside to temporary employment is that the work has a time limit on it. There is no real guarantee that you will have consistent or long term work as a temp, and it can often be very worrisome and stressful knowing that at any moment you can be unemployed again. However, what I recommend is talking with your staffing agent and making it clear that you are interested in "temp to perm" jobs that could eventually lead to you being hired on permanently. If the staffing service you are using doesn't have "temp to perm" jobs available, make sure you are very clear as to the length of your temporary contract, so that you can start preparing or searching for a new job when it ends.

2. Little to no benefits.

One of the major pitfalls in staffing agencies is they provide little to no benefits for their temp employees. In this day and age when insurance and a savings plan are crucial to your future and well being, I highly recommend seeking insurance if your staffing agency doesn't offer it. There is nothing more horrible then getting hurt and stuck with an enormous hospital bill that you can't pay off.

3. Lack of consistency between temp work.

Some people seek and need consistency in their work loads to remain stable and stress free. This becomes difficult when a temp job changes every few months, and you're constantly having

to adapt to a new working environment, new management and coworkers,

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