The temp tells all

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Wednesday, January 31, 2007

The vital signs

Whenever I first start an assignment it takes me a little while to find my feet and I usually judge how well a job is going to go by how quickly I can suss out what the permanent staff and/ or other temps think of the place. By making a few observations about its employees, you can easily assess the company and its management and decide whether it's worth sticking around.

Don't get comfortable if

- People go for lots of fag breaks. This either means that the management are too slack and therefore aren't serious about their jobs (which is bad because you'll never move forward) or the staff are so miserable that speeding up their inevitable death by smoking themselves stupid is the only way they can get through the day.

- There's never any loo paper in the toilets. This means that the cleaners hate the staff and every temp has to befriend at least one cleaner, to avid them rifling through their belongings or to make sure they're always stocked up with refreshments.

- You have to pay for hot drinks. A company this tight will never up your rate for work well done or loyalty. Strip the stationery cupboard bare and ask to be reassigned.

Things are looking up if:

- People wear nice clothes. Even if they're not designer, the fact that people wear nice clothes and look good is a sign that people are happy at their job. Sitting on reception and watching everyone walk by in badly-fitting polyester is soul-destroying and rings alarm bells to me.

- Lots of people go for lunch together. While this can also demonstrate a pack mentality of twats, it also means that people generally get on well enough to spend free time together. Watch out for companies where lone lunchers sit with their Marks and Spencer sandwich on a bench outside the office.

- Your email, web access and phone line is operational within thirty seconds of you arriving on your first day. Any longer than that and you'll have to deal with IT morons all day and any company that would put you through that shit isn't worth it.

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