When you first start out in a job or you are between jobs a staffing service can be a great place to get started. Many people start with a staffing agency to get their foot in the door of a new career and then move on into other employment.
It is important for you to understand what a staffing agency is there to do. They are only attempting to get enough bodies to fill positions that are temporary in many companies. If you come in and take an assessment and tell them the type of work you are looking for they will try to match you with one of those positions but it is not permanent.
Because you are filling in for someone who already has the job at the company or you are there until they fill a specific position, your chances of staying in any one job may be limited.
Staffing or temporary agencies are very good for someone who needs to build job experience. Often this is a good way to show that you can multi-task and it will get you job experience quickly. If you are looking for it to give you a career, this usually will not happen.
You can get a good idea of the types of companies you would like to work for when you are working for a staffing agency and you can get a chance to see different positions. You can also pick and chose the jobs you will take and you can decide how long you stay. Many temporary jobs are for a few weeks to a few months.
Some people report that they have had bad experiences at staffing agencies because the jobs are not what they are looking for or because the people treat them poorly. This can happen because some employers do not have respect for temporary workers, but if you are always professional and do your job well, you can get through any experience.
One thing to know about temporary agencies, while you are on the job they do not offer benefits but some will pay vacations and holidays after you have worked through them for several months. Your job will not be secure so you have to make sure that you can afford to not have a job when they do not have something for you.
In answer to the question, Should you get a job on your own or use a staffing agency? it really depends on what you want. If you are going through a career change, this might be the ideal situation for you. If you are looking for something more stable, then it will be better to get something on your own.
There is one piece of career advice: in today's economy with so many people losing their jobs you must understand that no job is totally secure but if you love what you are doing you will be able to find a job any time you need one.
