If you are unemployed and need cash now, a temp-to-perm job may be your best bet in finding a job quickly.

Serious job seekers often overlook the temp route to finding a job.

We're going to explore the myths and misconceptions about temp work--sometimes called contract work--and why so many companies today use temp services to hire people...even at high levels.

Believe it or not, the first wave of serious hiring during an economic recovery is temporary or contract workers.

It's not only cheaper for a company to hire this way, but safer for them. The staffing industry sector led all private sector job growth in June 2010.

But, a contract/temp position can also be a very good deal for you too. I'll tell you all about it in my article below.

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Happy Hunting...and keep smiling!

Mike Petras

Magic of Temp-to-Perm

Thanks to the blabber mouths on the major news networks, business owners and executives are just as scared as you are that this economy may fizzle again.

So, guess what companies do when they are nervous and uncertain?

That's right...wait and see.

However, no smart business person can tolerate losing sales to one of their competitors simply because they're too afraid to hire.

One way around this dilemma is to hire someone on a temporary basis to make sure this spike in business is real.

This is actually a no-lose-win-win situation.

The company wins because they can take advantage of this sudden spike in business, and you win because you're drawing a paycheck again.

Often these temp situations turn into permanent jobs if sales continue to stabilize and grow.

Some of you may be saying, I already tried working through a Temp Agency/Staffing Firm, and nothing really came of it.

The secret to getting a job through a staffing firm is you have to apply to several of them...not just 1 or 2. The reason for this is because each staffing firm has their own separate list of client companies.

Remember...these staffing firms work for their client companies...not you. In essence, their client companies have delegated certain hiring to them. So, you need to look at staffing firms as employers, not agencies to help you find a job.

In fact, if you get hired through a staffing firm, your employer will be the staffing firm, not the company you actually will be working at.

Essentially, you are being rented out by the staffing firm to a company for a short term or long term assignment. But, in many cases you will eventually be hired permanently by their client.

By the way, hiring requirements are typically more relaxed working through a staffing firm. And, they hire quickly.

So, if you've had one too many job changes, or been unemployed for many months, or feel you are a victim of age discrimination, the temp route may be your best bet to a permanent job.

You have absolutely nothing to lose by trying this.

Best place to start is an excellent website called, net-temps.com . Before you go there, keep reading for the ideal way to go about this.

In addition to job postings and other job search tools, Net-Temps also has a list of recommended staffing firms.

To access this list, go to their home page, scroll down to the middle of the page to Net-Temps Blog. Click on, finding a staffing agency.

As you read over their list of firms, open up your local phone book to the yellow pages under employment. Compare the Net-Temps list to the list of staffing firms in your phone book.

Contact these local firms first, along with any other staffing firms in your phone book not on the Net-Temps list. Do not include executive search firms on your list unless they also do temp staffing.

Your best approach to these local firms is to actually get in your car and drive to their office during normal business hours.

Yes...you read that right.

Don't just apply on-line, or inquire over the phone.

Dress up just like you are going on a face-to-face job interview. Make several copies of your resume, cover letter, and any written references.

Map out a route, get in your car, and drive to each office and introduce yourself.

The reason you do this is because the temp agency/staffing firm will actually be your employer. They want to impress their client companies by sending out sharp, professional people who will represent them well.

Most people are lazy and will just email over a resume and hope for the best. Staffing firms will not be annoyed or bothered if you approach them in person looking sharp. They need an inventory of candidates to send out to their clients as hiring needs arise.

Some of these firms will instruct you to apply on-line, but many of them will take the time to interview you and get to know you.

Often times, you will get a pretty warm reception and you will now have met a contact person who has the power to hire you.

On those days where you are feeling unmotivated, down, or discouraged, it will be 10 times easier to make those follow up calls when you can visualize someone warm at the other end of the phone.

If they don't have anything for you, call them every 2 weeks to update them on your situation. It's ok to email one time and call them the next.

After you've made the rounds with your local staffing firms, apply on-line to several others...even if they are out of state.

A staffing firm in Arizona may have a client or 2 in Michigan. However, most staffing firms serve their local clientele.

Also, some contract jobs will pay your living and travel expenses in addition to your pay.

For example, you may live in Chicago, but be offered a temp job during the week in Memphis. They pay for your meals, hotel, and travel for the duration of your job assignment which could last 3-6 months, or longer.

Yeah...it's inconvenient and not ideal, but it pays the bills until a local job surfaces...and keeps you from going nuts from job search burnout.

Ok...give this a try and see what happens. You have nothing to lose.

That's it for this month. Have a good week.

See you on my daily blog!

Mike
job-interview-wisdom.com

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