To think I could just quit my job and temp

[poppin]

I really loath my job, I have applied for a few others and have not even got interviews. I am seriously considering just quitting and getting temp work (office/admin). Anyone done this, am I mad? I have two pre-schoolers (my husband has them in the day and works at night) and my job is really getting me down and is having a negative effect on the whole family. We cannot afford for me not to work.

[creighton]

Do lots of research about the job market. I am temping at the moment following redundancy. It is very hard and the number of people looking for work is getting higher all the time. Try and grit your teeth and think of the regular money, sick pay, holidays, pension etc

[mrscynical]

I am currently temping and it has really changed from when I used to do it years ago. In the last 4 years I have gone from averaging £9-10 per hour to £7. Temping in private companies has all but dried up in my area and I am temping for the council through their in-house agency and have been for the past couple of years. This seems to be constant so I am sticking with them but as people are being made redundant in the council they are returning as temps and being given priority over us outsiders.

If I had to choose I would rather have permanent work - I have been applying over the last 4 years and have had no more than a handful of interviews despite applying for over 300 vacancies.

My advice would be think very carefully before handing in your notice. It is very hard out there at the moment. Whatever you decide to do I wish you the best.

[Soups]

It's worth calling up some agencies, and I don't think it's an unreasonable idea. I used to temp as a student, then after graduating got sent to a department that had a full time vacancy. The company liked me and offered me the role, it's the kind of job I'd never have thought to apply for! I'd say temping can be a good way to window shop for what jobs are out there.

After a long career break I've just become a temp again, interview one day, offered months work the next, which will take me up to the school hols, I start on Monday! At the interview I was honest about my expectations and reasons for wanting to temp. I am overqualified for my first role, I have years of tech experience and working with data, but told them that I was taking a very pragmatic approach about my situation.

Work out what is the lowest hourly rate that you're prepared to work for, and what sort of roles you'd consider, would you be prepared to do very short term jobs, or 1 month + ?

The agency I'm with pay holiday and sick pay, they're my employer, so did Manpower who I used to temp with years back. They also give an allowance for travel and food!

[Punkatheart]

I loved temping. You get to try out companies and they also get to try you out. Every temp job I had I was offered a full-time job. It was well-paid too and somehow, when you are temping, you feel less pressurised...

But yes, do the research first. Go and see some temp agencies...

[Silverlace]

I did it a few years ago and it was the best thing I ever did. My circumstances were different to yours, I was single with no family. I sat down and worked out if I could afford to do it and with great pleasure handed in my notice. I hated the job, I was coming home every night in tears and felt on the edge of a breakdown.

I got one temp job for a few weeks and the agency called me with another which I wasn't too interested in but went for an interview and got the most wonderful job which I stayed in for nearly 5 years.

I felt so brave doing it and it really worked out for me. I hope that if you do decide to do it it works for you too.

[MilyP]

Sounds like you need a new job! But I would have a look first to see what is out there and talk to some agencies. Not sure what job you do, but it can be hard to get agencies to try and find work unless your job title is exactly what they are looking for. Or else they call you with only the very crappiest jobs (hard to imagine, but there might just be jobs out there that are worse than yours!)
I would try and line yourself up some work before you quit. Or at least be very confident that you have a recuitment consultant who is on side and able to find you work. Once you are out of work can be harder to get back to something.

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Are your IT skills up to date? Are you an experienced administrator, or are you 'trading down' in terms of the type of job you're looking for?

I read a piece a while ago about over-qualified people just assuming that if they lost their jobs they could walk into an admin job - on the basis of "how hard can it be?", which was really pissing off those who were interviewing!

Are you prepared to re-train to develop your skills/acquire new, relevant ones?

Make sure you do your research really thoroughly before you jack your job in, especially if your income is crucial. You may not enjoy your job, but don't underestimate the significance of being employed in this current climate!

[Vev]

I temped for a couple of years. I was with a temping agency where you earned holiday and sickness pay.

[LadyThumb]

Many years ago I spent a lot of my time temping, and loved it. I also got 2 really good jobs when I was asked to be permanent. Ring some agencies and ask what is available. I never stayed in a job I loathed - far too much stress.

[expatinscotland]

What Nesta said. I was a legal secretary and found it really easy to get temp work. I took some courses in medical terminology and the like and also got jobs as a medical secretary.

[NestaFiesta]

I made a living temping before I met DH. I was almost never out of work bar a couple of weeks a year. It helps if you can (pretend to) audio type as you get legal sec work then.

cons- no sick pay, no holiday pay, you're often the new girl.
pros- flexibility- you get more say i.e I can't work in December. Usually you get weekly pay instead of monthly.

Some agencies do a "flexi temp" scheme for mothers who only want to work term time. This is my master plan when DS starts school.

[Hassled]

You need to make sure there is plenty of work around - and would you get holiday/sick pay etc? I suppose it would be a good stop-gap while you look for something permanent (or maybe a good way in somewhere) - there's nothing worse than hating your job, so it has to be worth exploring.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Do your research. Do the temp agencies have plenty of work? Would they pay you enough? Loathing a job isn't enough reason to quit otherwise.