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Competition for temp jobs is fierce. Getting good assignments takes more than the right skills; it requires a bit of assertiveness. That means showing up at the agency periodically to chat up the reps and keeping in touch by phone and email so they remember you. Marketers call it "top-of-mind awareness." But it's easy to go from top of mind to bottom of the barrel if you become a pest.
"If a rep feels badgered, he's going to stop getting on the phone and ultimately stop placing that temp," says Michael Prencipe, owner of HR Staffing Services in Springfield, Virginia. "Badgering questions are those that often start with, ‘why haven't you...'" Questions like "why haven't you gotten me an assignment yet?" or "why haven't you called me back?" would get anyone's hackles up.
The following tips will help you master the art of being assertive without being annoying:
Check Your Attitude
Wendy Zanarotti, associate director at Help Unlimited Temps in Washington, DC, says having a bad attitude can be the kiss of death. "What doesn't work is being aggressive and nasty," she says. "There is absolutely no reason for the agency to then send you on assignment."
Washington, DC-based Ansonne LeBlanc gets great long-term temp assignments by adhering to "The Temp Commandments" and considering himself a member of his agency's team.
"Remember, you're a representative of the agency," he says. "Think of it as an ambassadorship. They want to send people to assignments who will make the greatest impression on the client and likely want to enlist the agency's services again. The reps are trying to gauge this based on lots of things, but good impressions go a long way." That mentality, plus his skill set, makes LeBlanc a temp reps want to place.
After all, "reps make a living by putting people to work," Prencipe says. "But the job and temp have to be a good fit; otherwise, you're wasting the temp's, the agent's and the client's time."
Be Professional
Erin McCoy temped in Seattle before moving to New York City and temping there. She says the key to being assertive but not annoying is to remember to communicate with your rep as you would with any professional colleague.
"The agency rep is a business contact and should be treated as such," she says. "Treat it as you would any professional relationship, and be polite, pleasant and keep messages short."
To make sure she's not being pesky, McCoy asks reps how often she should contact them and when the best time to do so is. If she doesn't get direction, she's strategic about placing the call.
"If they have a daily staff meeting, find out when it is, and call about 30 minutes prior," she suggests. "Then you will be on their minds when they meet with the other staff about available openings."
Stay in Touch the Right Way
To ensure you stay on your rep's good side, follow these additional tips for maintaining contact:
- Call no more than twice daily. More than that, and you're bound to get on your rep's nerves.
- Stop by to say hi to your rep when you pick up your check from the office. Seeing you regularly will keep you fresh in his mind.
- Check in with your rep the week before your assignment ends to remind him that you'll be available for another assignment.
- Show gratitude for a good gig. A quick thank-you note (email or hand-written) never hurts.
- If you expect your rep to be responsive to you, extend him the same courtesy. "There is nothing more frustrating to an agency than trying to reach your temp for a position, and they don't call back," Zanarotti says. "Then the job is going to someone else. So many of our positions are in the ‘urgent-to-be-filled' mode, and we don't have the time to wait for folks to call us back."
