Lead us not into TEMPtation

In a new city, with plans to travel (this is Europe, isn't it?), I thought the next six months of my life were going to be so easy... I'd join a few temping agencies and just watch the job offers fly in. After all, I have two degrees, I can type 55 words per minute, and I'm a wiz on PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook. And while these are all programs temp agencies test you on (yes, be prepared to sit in a small room, reminiscent of your school days, as they set you little 'tasks'... Two hours later you'll emerge a broken person, cursing yourself for not practicing data entry more often, in preparation for a crappy job that's only going to pay pittance an hour anyway!)... it appears... having skills just isn't enough.

Temping in London is cut-throat. Having undertaken my first assignment just over two weeks ago, I naively thought that one job would flow into the next. I had high hopes of being paid enough to actually live, and I thanked my agency reps profusely for their effort each time another job was cancelled because the client had decided to have the work completed by in-house staff. Now, nearing the end of week three, my smile has definitely faded. Today, to add insult to injury (having worked only one day in the last two weeks), I was sent home at 10.30am from a job, when the training course I was meant to be covering staff for was cancelled. They were nice about it at least, smiled and apologised and thanked me for my time. And I smiled back (what can you do?). Said, "No, of course, don't be silly, that's fine. Thanks, anyway." And I was home again before the midday movie.

With the number of temping agencies in London in the hundreds, and the innumerable sites that offer part-time and temporary work placements, it's easy to think that there's a lot of work out there. Of course, that is also what you're told when companies recruit you. But once they're suckered you in (I would LOVE to know the commission these agencies have made off me), they leave you high and dry, and practically begging for work. It's only then that they mention how there are a lot of people looking for temp work at the moment and how stiff the competition is for jobs that pay good rates.

Do I give up? No, never. Tomorrow, I will wake, shower and put on my make-up. And wait for a call that may never come... then spend the rest of the day all dressed-up with nowhere to go. Sad? Yes. But at least now you know that truth about temp work in the UK and may you pass this wisdom onto friends... for Lord, lead us not into temptation - lets find us a real job and move on!