to leave my temp role?

[MinesaBottle]

I've been temping for about eight months for the same agency, I've had plenty of work and I have a good reputation with my agency and with clients. I always treat a role as though I'm a permanent employee even if its just for a day; I am conscientious and try to always be professional.

I've just started a six month contract and I am not enjoying it. The people are lovely but the culture drives me crazy - without giving it away it's a government organisation and it's so slow and bureaucratic, it takes forever to get anything done and everyone accepts that. I'm more used to private sector companies and the generally faster pace.

I'm seriously thinking about asking my agent if they could find me something else. My DH wouldn't be happy as obviously it's better that I'm in regular work. I also worry if my agent would be pissed off and not find me any more work, even though I have always been very professional and well-received by clients. I don't want to leave anyone in the lurch and would obviously give appropriate notice.

If you've just started could you give it a bit longer and see if you get used to it? It's not as if it's awful.....just not the most enjoyable? Six months isn't too long and the regular money would be good.

I don't know, I am going to give it a bit longer definitely but I just don't feel I'm suited to it. Everyone is lovely and really helpful but I just feel really ineffective because everything takes so long, has to be signed off by multiple people etc. I just think it would be better for them to have someone more suited in the role. I've never left a job before (apart from being made redundant) so I am really torn.

But does it matter that you're not suited to it if you're a temp?

Take the money, turn up, do what you're asked and don't stress about it.

On the other hand life's short if you're not enjoying it.

I think it does matter even if I'm a temp as they deserve to have someone who wants to be there and I would rather have fulfilling work. There's plenty of work to do so I'm not bored but I am very frustrated!

What's your relationship like with your agency? I've tempted quite a bit in the past and I reckon I could have tentatively voiced this to my agent (in a nice way) and gauged how far to push leaving given their reaction! If you are one of their top people, they may be able to place you somewhere else really easily.

How about trying to make suggestions, etc. see if you can change processes and make it more efficient?

You're a temp and by the very nature of the word - you dont have to stay - tell them you're happy to hand over and then you can go

I think so long as you don't have form for leaving contracts early, the odd one won't make a big difference in terms of your cv/employability. I'd be tempted to leave earlier rather than later if you're hearts not in it, you don't have to put it on your CV if you've only been there a matter of weeks, you can say you had a little break inbetween contracts. You can sign up to as many agencies as you like, don't think you can only be signed up to one.
If you do want to put it on your CV you can always say you are better suited to the private sector, didn't know what public sector would be like, and be sure to only apply for private sector jobs in future.

You are a temp. Of course you can move to something else if you are not a cultural fit. Otherwise why be a temp. I am a a contractor. If I don't think a contract is a good fit (i.e. I still don't feel comfortable a few weeks in) I speak to my agency and. / or my manager and arrange to move on, allowing my client to employ someone more suited to the role.

As long as my agency are ok about it! I might sound my agent out next week. DH won't be happy but I can find work easily enough. He was just pleased I had six months as it's more settled than changing jobs every couple of weeks!

I'd definitely give plenty of notice, there's no way I would ever leave an employer in the lurch.

Can't help but smile, OP - I could have written your post the first time I took a public sector contract!

I saw my contract out but had a good enough relationship with the agency to be upfront about the sheer tedium of working in the non-commercial sector. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the agency understood my point. I took on a further public sector contract but the remit was to introduce culture change, and it was definitely a challenge - but enjoyable and I like to think I made an impact.

It's probably worth seeing out the 6 months, but let the agency know that you are not really enjoying it, and most importantly, why, in order that they can offer you more suitable placements in the future. If nothing else, you might dine out on workplace stories (without naming names, of course)....I certainly have!!