Peaches, you say people are hesitant to ask because they do not know you and your capabilities......well I would have to ask why? If we are hired to do a job we are there for a purpose, no??

Depends. In some cases, if a temp reports to an upper level executive, his/her subordinates are hesitant to ask the temp for assistance, at least for some strange reason that happens in our place. Also, some are hesitant to give temps assignments because they have had a negative experience in the past with the quality of work. It takes time to build a rapport. Again, take the initiative and ask people for assignments when work is slow.

I have been temping for a while and part of the "problem" of being a temp is that people do not give you stuff to do at first. They will give you a bit at a time, in the meantime I usually try to do things to benefit the division or the person - get the desk organized, look through the files to see what they do and how they do it, begin documenting everything I do, just in case I have to do it again and then do not remember what I had to do or whom to contact for what, try to befriend the admins around and get useful information regarding the company and the hierarcy.

Sometimes if there is absolutely nothing to do relating to the job, I research stuff in the internet that interests me, that way I always look busy and always welcome something to do.

My assignment ended mid September and the agency has not had anything else since ... trying to organize my house but that is just too boring ...

Good luck!

I understand Peaches but I'm not 16 and straight out of school. I am actually disappointed to know that people are of that mind-set. It does not benefit me at all. Now you know how difficult it has been at interviews, trying to prove myself.

I should not be labelled as a "temp". I am here to do a job so what difference does it make if my contract says temp or not? I don't have the mind-set of a temp and never have but I know that some play on that...."oh sorry I don't know I only temp here".

I guess I shall just have to accept that my days of achieving a good job with lots of scope will never happen.

It's sad that employers ask competency based questions at interview yet the role does not reflect that.

I do understand where you are coming from but employers will have to learn that tarring all temps with the same brush is a recipe for disaster.

Now that is one thing that really irks me.............all the computer competency requirements in the job posting and interview and then getting on the job and finding you don't need any of it. There is a lot I don't know about the various MS Office programs but I always stress I'm willing to learn it. I'm not someone who can learn just to know it - there has to be a purpose for learning. And then there is stuff I've learned and never got to put to good use. It can be very frustrating. I think some of these folks just hear the terminology and think it sounds "neat" so they throw it out there as a requirement to see who bites.

Michelle

Gee - I feel your pain. I have had the pleasure of working with many excellent temps over the years, and a few not so good too. Unfortunately, the "not so good" spoil it for the good. However, give it time. After you have completed a few projects and have gotten to know a few folks, they will see you are capable. If the assignment is a good fit and the opportunity presents itself to go full time, you'll know if it is right for you. I like to get in and immediately take charge and make things my own. However, you must pace yourself and realize others need time to get to know you and your capabilities.

With cutbacks, I have been given additional responsibilities to make up for the loss of an admin in our group. However, she was a junior and I am an EA. There seems to be the perception from the group that I should assume her role as well as mine and take on the "nice" things she did that they are capable of doing themselves. I am not one to say "no". However, when it comes to performing my job I have had to set priorities and make sure my bosses needs are met first. ie: meetings prep, reporting, scheduling, travel arangements, etc. Then if I have time, I might order supplies, straighten up the copy area, etc. Anyway, I think I have gotten off track here. It seems some days no matter what we do, whether it is trying to prove ourselves and our capabilities, or trying not to be taken advantage of and treated like a doormat, we just have to keep on doing the best we can and not give up. Think positive, be a pro and it will all work out.

I'm just wondering should I say something to the recruitment agency, express my doubts and explain that I am not busy? I don't want to get to 6 months down the line be offered a perm job to say oh no thanks.

Should I still be looking about? I stopped job hunting when offered this post and I am not sure what to do. The company only wanted to interview candidates who wanted a perm job so in a way whilst I am unhappy, I feel I am deceiving them or letting them down.

I go into work on Monday and wish for 12 noon on Friday.

If you are in that situation, it does not sound like a good fit. You may want to keep looking. How long have you been in this job?

You know too, sometimes the employer does not really know what the job entails when they post it. They simply pull a job description and use that to write the ad. We all know there are so many little things that we do on a daily basis that never make the radar and we do not get credit for.

This is not like other roles I have had. It's an early start, I am doing very little besides booking meeting rooms or organising travel. The day is long so I get bored. This is my 3rd week and I would have expected, temp or not, to have at least some idea of what my boss or my department do. My boss is constantly in meetings or away on business so I understand it's difficult.

I know you are all going to say, Gee it's only been a couple of weeks, but I can guage very quickly if this is for me, and it's not. I am not using Excel or Access, I do not attend meetings nor am required to and only seem to do very menial tasks including ordering stationery.

In a sentence, I am brain dead for most of the day and the money does not make up for it. With only half an hour for lunch I am stuck at my desk for most of the day and my eyes are tired and my neck hurts.

As I have said before, employers need to think about a job spec and what they want before they commence the interview or hiring process. I could do this job in part-time hours although it seems that was what happened before but the other secretary split her time with this job and her own 50/50.

I do not know what to do and whilst it's good to be "in a job", it's not an ideal situation. I don't know the department to ask them for work so there is no point saying oh ask about as that would make me look as though I really haven't anything to do and I don't think my boss would like to hear that.

I used to describe myself as a child who needs occupied 7 hours a day. People used to laugh at me when I said I had a job but was never busy - it's true! Is it me, or what?! Are others not really that busy but good at disguising it?