Ugh, temping

BYTEr · 22 Feb 2017 at 22:55

Hi all,

No real purpose for this thread other than to have a mini rant.

So a couple of weeks ago, despite being offered another 6 month contract, I decided to leave at the end of my then current 12 month contract of my first real job after uni due to not seeing how I would ever progress or develop in the company and I wasn't learning anything new. This was actually quite a hard decision because I really enjoyed working there and met some great people, the salary was quite good and my employer was very flexible, however I was stagnating and thought if I ever wanted to get anywhere I'd have to unfortunately do it elsewhere.

So naturally, I signed up to some recruitment agencies, got my CV out there etc, and managed to land a temp job with an agency at a data analysis consultancy a few weeks ago much closer to home, it was only for 3 months, but I felt it was a good opportunity to learn a few new things so decided to go for it.

Then, out of the blue, the agency ring me this evening telling me the owner has decided to terminate me due to not feeling my heart was in the job and he caught me looking at a job site. Now, maybe I'm wrong, but how can you expect someone's heart to be in the job if they've been told the job is only for 3 months due to covering holiday whilst only being paid £8/hour. I was very clear with both the company and agency before I started that I couldn't necessarily commit to the full 3 months due to the short term contract and very low pay, they both stated they understood this and thought it was reasonable. I believe my line manager was pleased with my performance and quality of my work and that he felt I was ready and confident enough to take over the responsibilities of the person leaving (last day is Friday) but obviously the owner is not happy, partly due to me looking at a job site, which is true, today whilst on my unpaid lunch break I was reading a job description that a recruiter had sent me, but I was on lunch and had completed all work given to me, so its not like I've been browsing job sites during working time and not been completing work etc.

So yeah, sorry for the rant, but it just sucks, now I'm jobless when I thought I had 2 months to find another job, really awful timing as well due to both my and my wife's car developing serious faults.

Thanks for reading.

TS7 · 22 Feb 2017 at 23:42

I think the main mistake here was leaving a job which pays well and you were happy with to nothing else on the table. I completely agree with your thinking in that if you're not learning anymore and there's no room for progression you need to get out of there. However find a job before doing so.

BYTEr · 22 Feb 2017 at 23:49

I did have a job lined up though for 3 months, I left my last company and started at my new one the next day, otherwise I would have just accepted the 6 month contract whilst still looking, its just that its now been terminated unexpectedly 9 weeks early.

Participant · 23 Feb 2017 at 05:56

BYTEr said:
Then, out of the blue, the agency ring me this evening telling me the owner has decided to terminate me due to not feeling my heart was in the job and he caught me looking at a job site

I wouldn't say it was entirely out of the blue if he caught you looking at a job site in working hours. That seems disrespectful if nothing else. Do it on your phone in your lunch break.

BYTEr · 23 Feb 2017 at 08:06

I did look on my lunch break as I said in my OP.

Semple · 23 Feb 2017 at 08:10

I can see both sides of the story really.

Whilst, yes you were on your lunch break (unpaid) which should mean you're free to do as you please. If your employer does see you looking at other jobs, he's going on the assumption that you're actively looking for work, and as it's temporary, i guess neither of you would need to give any notice. So he's probably thought i'll get someone in who might well stay the full 3 months.

I would just chalk it up to experience, and next time sit in the corner of the canteen or go sit on the toilet and read your phone (no prying eyes).

BYTEr · 23 Feb 2017 at 08:35

That's the annoying thing, I made it very clear and was very honest to both the company and my agency that due to the short term contract and the low pay I would be actively looking for my next job and they both said they understood that before I accepted, I even negotiated on there request to leave my last employer a week early to join them in order to have enough time to learn the role before the girl went on holiday.

Oh well, haven't got time to dwell, hopefully the agency finds me something else to do quickly.

tom_e · 23 Feb 2017 at 08:42

BYTEr said:
That's the annoying thing, I made it very clear and was very honest to both the company and my agency that due to the short term contract and the low pay I would be actively looking for my next job and they both said they understood that before I accepted, I even negotiated on there request to leave my last employer a week early to join them in order to have enough time to learn the role before the girl went on holiday.

Oh well, haven't got time to dwell, hopefully the agency finds me something else to do quickly.

While morally it may have felt like the right thing to do and they may have been nice to your face about it all you've actually done there is tell them that you're using them as a crappy little stop gap until you find something better and you'll probably end up leaving them in the lurch before the end of your 3 months.

It's business, never ever tip your hand they're not your friends.

Artery · 23 Feb 2017 at 09:13

You've just got to think of yourself these days. Agency work is extremely tedious, there are rare cases where you can actually end up getting on the books because at the end of the day they don't want anyone on the headcount for a reason. Really you should have taken the extra 6 months at your old place and looked elsewhere from there, for something more permanent as you've just got to think more of stability and security than trying to find the perfect role.

You don't want your CV to have 3 months here, 3 months there etc. I think this only really works if you're a contractor and you can show what you achieved in such a short amount of time.

AHarvey · 23 Feb 2017 at 13:31

Agency = slave work. You're expendable to the company.

Why not phone the company and speak to the manager directly, explain the situation if you really want the job back.

swillsy · 23 Feb 2017 at 19:37

Sorry to be harsh bro but this company has decided you aren't worth the £8 /hr for whatever reason! Suck it up and on to the next one I'm afraid. Make sure they pay you notice if its in your contract - normally a month for 3 months.

dowie · 23 Feb 2017 at 19:55

swillsy said:
Sorry to be harsh bro but this company has decided you aren't worth the £8 /hr for whatever reason! Suck it up and on to the next one I'm afraid. Make sure they pay you notice if its in your contract - normally a month for 3 months.

he's a temp

AHarvey · 23 Feb 2017 at 21:29

swillsy said:
Make sure they pay you notice if its in your contract - normally a month for 3 months.

3 months would normally be a probation period meaning that no notice would be needed, and most places I've worked state it's a week for the first 3-6 months, but, as Dowie says, he's a temp. No contract, no probation, no rights.