I temped for only 3 months, attempted with Adecco and also Select Agencies, so don't have much experience to draw on. I can can also report on them from the employers side of things as well.
Me as a temp
Walked out of a permanent job extremely harrassed and thought sod the consequences ... Read review
Advantages: For students, people only wanting odd hours etc Disadvantages: not marvelous pay
I temped for only 3 months, attempted with Adecco and also Select Agencies, so don't have much experience to draw on. I can can also report on them from the employers side of things as well.
Me as a temp
Walked out of a permanent job extremely harrassed and thought sod the consequences can't stick it any longer. I think most of us have been there before.
I thought of temping to tide me over on someone's ... ...(was Alfred Marks when I temped for them) made appt to register to do the numerous tests etc. I wanted a permanent job, but they rang me up as soon as I got home, thought brilliant, it was supposedly working for a trade union local office, I thought that could be interesting, I asked them to set me up with an interview or whatever. It never transpired, I rang them about 4 times a day for the whole week, no other temporary work was offered me either ... more
I temped for only 3 months, attempted with Adecco and also Select Agencies, so don't have much experience to draw on. I can can also report on them from the employers side of things as well.
Me as a temp
Walked out of a permanent job extremely harrassed and thought sod the consequences can't stick it any longer. I think most of us have been there before.
I thought of temping to tide me over on someone's recommendation didn't know who was best so walked past Adecco (was Alfred Marks when I temped for them) made appt to register to do the numerous tests etc. I wanted a permanent job, but they rang me up as soon as I got home, thought brilliant, it was supposedly working for a trade union local office, I thought that could be interesting, I asked them to set me up with an interview or whatever. It never transpired, I rang them about 4 times a day for the whole week, no other temporary work was offered me either they dodged my phone calls with one excuse after another.
Thought sod it, looked through the yellow pages for the Manchester area this time, registered with another agency called Select. I was suprised the tests were exactly the same (bit of waste in my opinion, you could fiddle the system somewhat). I at least got 2 interviews for permanent jobs. They found me temporary work as well, working in a local hospital, for £4 an hour when I had specified £5 was the minimum, but accepted it and enjoyed hospital life a lot.
Then got placed in a call centre at the AA, my god anyone who works in a call centre has my utmost respect. 200 phone calls a day roughly each worker (no wonder they are always recruiting in the M.E.N). I did put my foot down and asked to be found something else, which they did.
In the meantime I had applied for a job in the NHS and got an interview, I told the agency and this clashed with the start date of the new temporary position. They didn't like it one bit when I said I may have to start the day after or just do half a day. They (Select) put pressure on me to ring the interviewing organisation to re-arrange (bit of a nightmare) but I grovelled enough and they re-arrange it, but I really thought I didn't stand a chance of getting the job because of causing problems.
My word of advice to any temps with interviews, ignore what the agency say to you, there is always another temping job and millions of agencies, don't give up the chance of any potential decent permanent job. I nearly did.
Temping agencies from the employers perspective.
I now still work at the same NHS organisation that I nearly blew the opportunity of working for. I work in human resources having worked in recruitment and now more strategic & project side of it. In recruitment I dealt with the agencies and drove surprisingly hard bargins with them. The fees they charge certainly aren't reflected down to the temps doing the jobs. If I can give a vague example without breaking confidentiality. If a temp was paid £5.50 by an agency, the agency would charge the emloyer £9 an hour. When the working time directive came along that was a good excuse for them to put fees up 10% or more it wasn't passed to the temps. From talking to friends etc who've temped, they haven't exactly been given all the holidays they're entitled to they are given excuses like its got to be continuous working with the agy for 3 or 6 months have been given to people. Check the DTI website for proper clarification if in doubt.
A few things to remember though:-
1. The temping agencies are there to make money out of us. 2. They mither any employer they have had contact with to see if there's any jobs going. 3. The consultants also have sales targets to meet so may not always act in your best interest. 4. Temping is ideal when you're desperate (as in my case), or a student during university / college holiday times etc, or just for a short term when you're undecided as to where you want your career to go. 5. Employers do think when they see someone who has temped for a long time "why can't they get a job" it does put doubts in their minds. 6. Some people do love temping and have done it for years, but financial stability has to be fitted in somewhere. It could affect things like mortage applications who are fussy to begin with. 7. The tests aren't all they're made up to be, I've had temps who were supposed to be able to use a certain package eg Excel and didn't have the faintest idea.
Phew what long message. Hope gave you some more insight.
PPS. If you can do shorthand there's a desperate shortage, so hold out for at least £8 an hour or more (respect if you can do shorthand, it defeated me all those years ago!). We needed a shorthand typist and at work and tried 6 agencies before we got one!
Advantages: Great for long term temp work Disadvantages: They don't like students!
Ok, I'm not saying all Adecco offices are this bad, I'm sure most are really great and helpful, but the one I went to this summer to try and find work over the university summer holiday was rubbish! I thought, hmm, Adecco, they're a top name in recruitment, I bet they could help me find work. How wrong I was. I first registered online with Adecco in late May, ages before the end of term, so that I would be ahead of the student job-hunting rush. A ... ...me what sort of work I was after, and when I was available. As soon as I said "I'm available from the end of June till the end of September", she warily asked "are you a student?". Yes, I said. "Ok, well I'll give you a call if we get any work for you". That was the last I ever heard from Adecco. A few weeks later, when the holidays had started and I was back in my home town looking for work, I passed the Adecco office in the street and noticed an ...
PetiteLibertine 27.07.2003
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Adecco.co.uk
Advantages: Work for many Disadvantages: not secure
...Thanks again, karen :0)
Adecco.co.uk is the internet based web site for Adecco. It used to be called Alfred Marks.
I do not know how I first came by Ciao, maybe it was another search engine and I just slowly or actually very quickly became interested in the site, ok at first Lets be honest I made a balls up of my postings and this is going to be re written in the near future and some already have. I listenened to what other Ciaoers had said and ... ...MEMBERS. Yes I am shouting, shouting because I am so happy. I cannot wait for Monday. I feel like a teenager starting back at work.
Take a look at Adecco.co.uk and see what it has to offer, I did and I start work Monday 9am.
Karen :0) :0) ...
BUBBLES171 22.11.2003
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Adecco.co.uk
Advantages: Fast turnaround, helpful and efficient. Disadvantages: Once you're in, don't expect much help.
My experiences with this agency, who I have worked for over the last ten months, have been widely variable. I went to them looking for temporary work, I was aware that my time living in Cardiff was likely to be short and I didn't want to take a permanent job. Adecco was one of a half dozen agencies I went to.
They were the first to call me in for evaluation, and they were efficient and helpful. That same afternoon they called about a placement, ... ...pay for what it was.
I was there for a while, and when it came to Christmas, despite the fact that I don't think I was technically eligible for the holiday pay at that point I got it.
So ends the good part.
Shortly after Christmas I tired of the job and asked them to find me another one. After a week I'd heard nothing so I asked again, and again a fortnight later. Despite the fact that plenty of other jobs could be seen going through the office, ...
oneshallstand 07.08.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Adecco.co.uk
Advantages: Not really that competent Disadvantages: quick offers
Hi,
I just saw that here are already several opinions on the temporary job agency addeco. However, I was gaining some experiences with them within the last month and would like you to read my opinion and experiences.
When I started looking for a temporary job I just went into the centre of Lougborough with my CV in my pocket to look out for agencies. The first one I saw was Addecco.
My first impression was quite good. There was a nice woman sitting ... ...me, what kind of work I was looking for (administration, clerical assistance) and took all the notes. She called the agency in an other town close still whilst I was there to announce, there would be a new girl, looking for a job. I was quite pleased and confident, they could help me. I didn't have a bank account and a temporary NI number yet, but I got both the next day and handed it in as requested.
Only few days later in the very early morning, ...
Nicole78 20.10.2003
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Adecco.co.uk
Advantages: saves time Disadvantages: rubbish firm
i had heard that they were a very good firm from a lot of different people. I decided that i would register with them in the hope to find full time work. i was invited for interview which my consultant turned up late for as she took an extended lunch. i was cross at this as she wasnt even in the slightest apoligetic. i was very surprised that i even heard back from her. she seemed to be very unorganised and didnt seem to worry about what her clients ...
aneth 29.09.2000
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Adecco.co.uk
Similar reviews »
Reviews which might be of interest for "Adecco.co.uk"
Advantages: They have a very user friendly website Disadvantages: Didn't have the job I was looking for
I recently decided to look for a new job so I started by trying a few websites out. I ended up at bluearrow.co.uk and found it to be most useful. I could do an instant job search straight from the homepage (unlike Adecco or Manpower) and found a few jobs of interest. It was very easy to apply for these jobs online too. What was good also, was I saw that the jobs were being advertised by my local branch in Newbury, so I emailed them too.
The staff at the branch seemed very nice, in particular my consultant helped me decide the direction I really wanted to look in. Unfortunately I didn't find the right job with Blue Arrow, but I would certainly recommend the Newbury Blue Arrow branch and using bluearrow.co.uk. ...
Jimmy12345 29.07.2003
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Blue Arrow
Advantages: benefits, the people, the pay Disadvantages: corporate rubbish sometimes
I've worked for Vodafone since 2005. I work in a retail store in a precinct as a Sales Advisor though I will be Senior Sales Advisor in a few weeks (if NVQs people get a move on). I originally started on 8 hours but am now on 30 hours plus overtime. Normally I do on average 38 hours per week.
Getting the job
A lot of things have changed over the years including on how they recruit people. I saw the job advertised on the Customer Service board in the precinct. I handed in my CV to the manager, he phoned me to arrange an interview, went to the store to have the interview and then was phoned that I'd got the job.
Now it's a little bit more complicated. The jobs are now advertised through Adecco, a poster in the store and our career's website, http://careers.vodafone.co.uk/.
When you visit the website, you can either ...
galaxynicole 10.06.2008
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Vodafone Group