How do you get started? Very simple. Call up an Agency, make an appointment for an interview, and go. Don't contemplate it. Don't worry about it. Don't rehearse what you're going to say. So many "don'ts" and one small "do" - just go do it.

When you get to the Agency, you will be interviewed and given some tests to determine the kinds of jobs you're best suited for and/or interested in and you will meet the people who will be sending out out on assignments. You'll be given some time sheets and some literature describing other necessary paperwork, if any, as well as memos or brochures listing the benefits which the Agency provides its employees (which is what you'll be).

If you haven't been working for the past few years, you may indeed find it scary when you venture out. All that new software. All those new systems. Fear not! There are videos and manuals being written which explain things very clearly. If you have no experience with the particular equipment, chances are the Agency can help you. They'll have something you can work and practice on.

These days, almost every local high school or community college offers a wide variety of introductory courses on the latest business applications: word processing, spreadsheets, databases. These courses are usually quite inexpensive and more than adequate for preparing you to hold your own in today's office environment. Some Agencies have vacation plans, bonuses, holiday pay and medical plans. You can discuss these things with your Agent if it seems as though you are going to continue down this path. You'll also want to talk about your interests: the hours or days you have available, the areas you can (or cannot) travel to. You and the Agency should work out the details of your schedule, your preferences, your skills, and your pay range.

I say "pay range" because although you may be qualified for a higher responsibility position and hence, higher pay, the job of the day may not need all those skills. Are you willing to take a lower paying job (should it show up) or do you want to hold out for the higher paying jobs?

Here again, you and the Agency need to reach an understanding on this. They can keep you busy by calling you first for any job, or they can call others until the available salary reaches your salary requirement. I suggest you at least start with a pretty low threshold and bring it up slowly as you, the Agency and the Clients come to better understand what you're really worth.

Try to find an Agency near to where you live so the radius of the area you'll be asked to cover will be closer to your home - with an array of Clients who are easy to find and quicker to get to. The fastest way to find an Agency is through your local newspaper or telephone book. It's easiest to start with the newspaper ads. The Agencies that advertise the most are usually working with companies who have current needs.

You can also get a good idea of the positions, the skills required, the locations, the salary, and the types of jobs available. Look in the daily papers, as well as the Sunday paper.

 
NOTE: This tip is an excerpt from TEMP-tation: An Introduction to Busyness Management, a delightfully illustrated, informative and entertaining book by Carol Feltman. If you are interested in this book, you can obtain it through your local bookstore, order it directly from the publisher, Oak Leaf Systems, at 781-275-6609, or visit her website at www.kahrol.com

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