Good evening folks, Mods move this thread to where you see fit. I understand there was a thread sometime back about agency and full time the pros and cons of each or something or other. Well I’m thinking of jacking my job in to start on agency work, as a position has opened up and is temporary up until late october (Although the position seems to be available this time every year!) and seems I would get more training with the agency than I am currently being given. Not going into details into why I want to leave my job at the moment but advice && suggestions would be welcome.
There will be plenty guys on here wanting to know where the full time job is that you are jacking. The agency is your best pal when they need you ,when they dont need you they dont pay you,its as simple as that.
alamcculloch:
There will be plenty guys on here wanting to know where the full time job is that you are jacking. The agency is your best pal when they need you ,when they dont need you they dont pay you,its as simple as that.
If they want to work for a bunch of pricks who make promises as quick as they break them, for people who get rewarded for doing ■■■■ all while your there getting shafted even though you’ve worked your fingers to the bone for 12 hours and still do the same day in day out each week of the year and still they manage to make fault with everything you do.
When people said I was stupid for taking this job I didn’t believe them, but to be honest those who called me stupid were those who saw the wages. The wages isn’t the issue, the fact people who do ■■■■ all get rewarded as people like me who work their arses of regardless how much pain I’m in regardless back or feet I still work to the best I can but somehow still manage to get shafted week in week out etc. And it’s alright with some agencies at least with some work it is regular etc if a business uses a regular agency like ours do. It wouldn’t be so bad if I was on a different shift Unfortunately not so.
If the agency’s busy, use them to get your foot in the door with some customers. Sit with them for 3 or 4 months then go out on your own freelancing for their customers. You won’t be their puppet then!
In the past I have worked for an agency. For a year I worked when I liked. Made sure I done 13-14 hour days Mon-Thurs, so I could have Friday, Sat & Sun off to spend with the family. Doing a permanent job now as there was always an uncertainty with working for an agency. Needed job security (mainly for mortgage reasons!)
Politician tells voter what he wants to hear, promises all will be rosy if only you vote for him.
Once he’s had your vote thats it, you are no further use to him and you resemble the dog crap he had to scrape off his shoe, he never had any intention of what he promised at any time.
Agency recruiters also compare well to car salesmen.
Salesman tells you what you want to hear, he smiles ingratiatingly like a serpent and looks so lovely in his shiny suit and his pouffy gelled dyed hair, you could almost kiss him.
Once he has you dosh though, you are again the scrapings from his patent leather shoe and he is off to find his next victim.
If you learn at this early age that politicians, car salesmen and agency recruiters are lying the moment they utter a sound, you won’t go far wrong.
West European females are often cast from the same mould, so take a tip, go East and South to search for the best…Latin, Meditteranian or Oriental are good bets, be happy all your life.
Juddian:
Think of agency recruiters as failed politicians.
Politician tells voter what he wants to hear, promises all will be rosy if only you vote for him.
Once he’s had your vote thats it, you are no further use to him and you resemble the dog crap he had to scrape off his shoe, he never had any intention of what he promised at any time.
Agency recruiters also compare well to car salesmen.
Salesman tells you what you want to hear, he smiles ingratiatingly like a serpent and looks so lovely in his shiny suit and his pouffy gelled dyed hair, you could almost kiss him.
Once he has you dosh though, you are again the scrapings from his patent leather shoe and he is off to find his next victim.
If you learn at this early age that politicians, car salesmen and agency recruiters are lying the moment they utter a sound, you won’t go far wrong.
West European females are often cast from the same mould, so take a tip, go East and South to search for the best…Latin, Meditteranian or Oriental are good bets, be happy all your life.
If he doesn’t get you into regular work, he don’t get paid, so where’s the “dosh” coming from?
We’re not talking about an agency who charges punters upfront to be “put into a ballot for a shift” or something similar are we?
Sheesh!
Besides, if you are a south-eastern European, mediterranean, AND a good bet, then perhaps the agency boss of the future looks like this:-
“The brotherhood of the Cruxiform Steering Wheel Welcomes you to this 15 hour shift at Al-Tescho on theese God-Willing, great day indeed!”
The trick is, when they don’t need you is when you want to work less hours as well. Why work 6 days a week to take home 4 days pay? Even without any other money coming in, you can work 3 days and take home 3 days pay. Gotta be better for those living within their means surely?
There was two ocassions in my driving career when I worked for agencies. The first was two years after I started driving. I was bored with the job I was doing because it became routine, I wanted to learn about other jobs, other lorries and other loads. It worked well for me, I stayed with the agency for three years, and had lots of opportunity to gain experience in most types of work.
Then I was getting all the work that the other drivers didn’t want, so I left and found a full time job.
Fast forward a few years and more job changes, and I became self employed freelance. Now people could book me direct to drive for them. Seven years later I went back to working for an agency and stayed on a permanent contract. All my work mates took a full time job with the company when it was offered, I chose to stay agency. Seven years later the depot closed and I was the first one out. By this time I didn’t care, I was only seven months off retirement age.
Agencies have their place, as long as you work them to suit yourself. When I needed to gain experience, an agency was the ideal place to get it. Later on I wanted to slow down so I went part time. It suited me to turn work down if I had other things to do. It depends at what stage you are at in your working life.
I have always left a job and moved on if I wasn’t happy in my work, but that was years ago. I don’t think it is quite so easy now, so something else to take into consideration when planning your career. Go with your gut feeling, Good luck.
Ilona
Thanks for the advice folks, I did give the agency a ring about the position as its not set in stone that i’ll get it obviously but I can try for nothing. As while I’m working on agency I can look for bigger & better things. Not to mention the extra money flowing in while I’m building onto the wealth of experience I already have for someone of my age. I have put my name down already with a local company to change my apprenticeship over so it’s closer to home (&& Getting more training than I’ve already been given!) I didn’t realize until I had a second look at the job i’ve applied for and realized its night shift work so that should be particularly interesting (10 while 6 not too bad I must say )
I think the only thing my job has given me is better health But nothing going to the gym couldn’t do! Here’s hoping something better turns up
You could say that the stage of the business cycle impacts alongside the stage in one’s life presently at too.
During boom times, when overtime is plentiful and well-paid, it makes sense to not only have a full-time job, but cram in the overtime as well. The only bad thing about such an era in one’s life, is the job gets a bit polarised. I did the same job for 20 years, having driven wagons for a total of 22. I wasn’t bored with the job, but I never did get any experience roping and sheeting, containers, and the like. Now I’ve been doing agency for the past 18 months, things might change, and if nothing else, more variety is pretty much guaranteed, providing I can avoid being stuck with supermarket work all the time.
During these times of austerity, I think those with plum full time jobs should stick with them, those with ones cutting pay & conditions should consider leaving, especially if they are in “wind down” mode as it appears you and I am.
Flexibility is a two-way street, and agency working is what you and the agency make of it.
I get what you mean, don’t get me wrong I am trying other things also like getting my apprenticeship moved closer to home ( I find out on wednesday if that is the case!) I just can’t stand working for people who reward those who do little to no work and shaft those who do mass amounts and still expect more. I know most employees are like this but its safe to say my employers take the ■■■■ when it comes to this
Something i hope I won’t have to deal with for much longer.
right so i now work as a recruitment consultant and am an ex driver it really ■■■■■■ me off when i see agencies are ■■■■ agencies are this that and the other! yes there are a few terrible ones but trust me i spend all week winning business selling my drivers as without decent drivers i wont earn anything! i can spend days to months to win a contract and trust me i appreciate my drivers i am honest with them and if i have no work i say i dont make stupid promises and would always say think about leaving a full time job for agency work!
however when i was a driver i worked for the same agency i liked it as i could work when i wanted and choose where i worked no more working for ■■■■ firms who treat you like the perverbial if i went to a firm and didnt like it i didnt go back!
so i would say if its a foot in the door or you only want x,y,z days agency is ideal (depending on which one) i also earned as much in 9 months of agency work as i would have full time! do what is best for you but make sure you go with a decent agency!
Point 1. All work places are the same, he who kisses ■■■ best gets looked after he if there a useless gimp. So deal with it
Point 2. Agencies are crap, its that simple. As said above you will need to kiss ■■■ to get good shifts regular.so you will be in the same boat but without job security.
If like me your a anti social arse who can’t take the lazy soda at work just shut up and do your work, less stress you see
To be fair I’d probably earn more in 2 days than I would in a week on my current wage £4.75 comparted to £6.50 + bonus on productiveness As it’s the same position I applied for last year (pallet repair man) but I was too young at the time. This time round I am old enough also being in contact with a few agencies I have a variety of work to choose from and maybe be able to get some training too if i’m lucky.
This ‘apprenticeship’ i’m currently on, I’ve received next to no training whatsoever compared to the other 2 apprentices, and they some how managed to get employee of the month yet I do twice as much work than both of them combined Plus the benefit of being paid weekly and not monthly not to mention having weekends back Well some/most!
I won’t know until next week the final decision anyway either way I hope it’s the right one
To be realistic i wouldnt jack a full time gig in to pursue agency work , as your never guaranteed work or a steady income . if your not happy with what ya doing try looking for something else ,
In my view agencies are parasites, middle men who cream off what could be a good wage if paid to the driver direct from a company.In theory you hire out your services as a driver to them on a freelance basis, and come and go when you want, but in reality, with the present climate, they have you by the balls, dictate to you and hold you to ransom, a bunch of zb s the lot of them.
Unfortunately not so.
(10 while 6 not too bad I must say 
Plus the benefit of being paid weekly and not monthly not to mention having weekends back