For over three years I have been using a temp agency to assist me in finding work. In the past I would have done a little more pavement pounding myself. Searching the newspapers, browsing wanted ads, or simply walking into a potential hiring situation dressed for success. Living in Michigan in these tough times has changed my strategy.

The country may only in the last year have begun feeling the pinch of the economy's severe downturn, but the great state of Michigan has been suffering the consequences of poor government leadership and recession for nearly ten years. It's been common place to hear of layoffs and plant closings, although the number of these occurences has increased exponentially in the last ten or twelve months as the rest of the country began it's slide into economic meltdown.

A few years ago, however, a friend told me how a temp agency had helped her find a stable, permanent position. She gave me her representatives business information and wished me luck. So with some trepidation, because I tried a different agency in the past and was not pleased with the result, I emailed the gentleman in question my query about how their company could assist me.

He called me back within half an hour and I had an interview the next day. The assignment was only for thirty days, but it was a month worh of paychecks so after filling out the paperwork I accepted the assignment. When that opportunity ended it took my representative several weeks to find me another interview and ultimately a three month contract. Eventually he was able to find for me a long term assignment, which was the one I was let go from unexpectedly a few days ago. Temp Agencies can be very helpful these days, especially since many employers are going to contract work only so they will not be responsible for any benefits. A temp agency handles those expenses, and is the reason my last assignment was open ended.

I was hired in by this company with no end of contract date set in place, the problem is I was unaware of that little detail. It may seem unfair, but they were perfectly within their right to terminate my position, for any reason, with one day notice.

In spite of losing a job I had really grown to enjoy, I still recommend using a good temp agency with a quality reputation. However I implore any person to make sure the assignment they are agreeing to is never open ended but has a definite finish date with the option to be hired in, and the company provides regular pay for holidays and at least three sick days, depending on the length of the contract. Times are tough, but there is no reason to be taken advantage of by an employer trying to save a buck, and a good temp agency is there to help you find what you need.