Staffing agencies and other rants...

[dove95]

So, I moved to the NYC area about a year ago in hopes that I could get my foot in the door with a publishing company. (I have a BA in English.)

Everyone told me that that's not likely to happen right away and to just work with staffing agencies.

Well, about a dozen agencies have my resume and still know I'm looking for work and when I call, they always say they have nothing.

I used to have luck with them when I was in Illinois. Could it be that everyone else is unemployed and trying to work with staffing agencies here in NYC too?

I don't know. It's not like I need the money to survive, but a lot of people are judgmental when I tell them that my friend and her dad have taken me in so that I don't have to move back to IL. I just moved out here to be close to all this culture and now it's had to ride the backburner because I feel guilty to ask for money.

Should I just swallow my pride and work at a fast food place and sales? Things I've done WHILE I was in college, or should I just enjoy this "time off" to find out what makes me happy and keep persistent with what I really want to do?

[TravelGirl]

About 2 years ago, when I quit my first job, I went to staffing agencies in New York and they were terrible. They gave you incredibly stupid tests that really did not demonstrate anything about you and then they never had any good jobs. I have found that many of the big staffing agencies in NY city could not care less about you. To them, you are just a commission, nothing more, nothing less. I finally found a good small temp agency and I worked with them. I finally got a job on my own without an agency. Two years ago, the economy was good and the agencies did not have much in the way of jobs. So can you imagine what it is like now? Do not take it personally because many of the agencies are just job mills.

[Phoenix]

i think you should still pursue what makes you happy. However, if you're looking to make and save some money, you may want to work (it's up to you of course). However, one thing to keep in mind is that employers can be somewhat judgemental in your job choices, even if you're just doing a retail job or a secretarial job to pay some bills. (Other employers take the better, high road and look at the fact that you were doing something and getting off your butt while still looking for "real," permanent employment. I like this type of employer better, myself. :) )

Keep in mind that NYC, like everywhere else has been hit hard by the economy being in the toilet (plus had the whole WTC disaster). I have a friend who has lived up there for at least a good 1/2 yr and hasn't even gotten a call for an interview w/ all the places he's applied.

I don't live in NYC, but I haven't had good experiences w/ staffing agencies. Most want to just place you in a crappy secretarial job (no offense to anyone who does this for a living...it's not my cup of tea personally) to shove you out the door in a job (and earn their commission) when you're qualified for a much higher position and something much more challenging. I've had better results searching on my own (more interviews and better paying more challenging jobs). Too bad I can't LAND one of those jobs though! :)