Just a Temp

by Kevin Daniel Henson

"So this is where the brain starts to shut down and that which we treasure most, our personal identities, begins to slip away....I suppose I should be thankful; it's a paycheck." With this disturbing... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1566393868
• ISBN13: 9781566393867
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Temple University Press
• Length: 202 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Oh, it's TOO true!

Update: After I wrote the following review, my employer sent out a reminder that supervisors needing a temporary worker should "Check out the link on the Purchasing web site showing a list of qualified Temporary Employment Agencies..." It's on a web page among the vendors for office equipment. And this is a respected private school whose credo states, in part, "We believe that we must strive for a human community of justice, mutual respect, and concern." Hmm."Work when you want to!" "We serve Fortune 500 companies!" "Get out of your rut!" "Get free training, paid vacations, and health insurance!" These are the promises of the temporary help industry and extolled in various job guides. The ads aren't lying, but they leave out a lot. In "Just a Temp," Henson presents the side of temping that the rent-a-peon industry doesn't want you to see.Temping can be perfectly fine for certain circumstances. Examples are college students needing summer jobs, people wanting supplemental income, or those who don't want a constant job (especially if his/her spouse has family health insurance). And the author does say that some people like the work.However, many temps I've known would relate completely to what Henson found during his own work experience, and from interviewing numerous temporary-help workers. If you are an unhappy temp, this book can be therapeutic: you'll know you aren't alone, oversensitive, or crazy. If you are considering temporary work as a primary occupation, read this book first.Temps discover that the paid vacations and other benefits usually require accumulating a minimum number of hours per year, and the health insurance is too expensive. It is not unusual for these workers--and I was one for too long--to experience (1) demeaning, boring duties; (2) insults and snide treatment from the "regulars;" (3) the fear or experience of being punished (i.e., not being called for subsequent placement) by the staffing company if you complain or want another assignment; (4) being unable to afford the downtime and expenses involved in hunting for a regular job. The author does not censor the language that some of his interviewees used to describe their experiences.Henson has some interesting chapters that talk about the history of the temporary help industry and how it fits into our culture and even gives examples of temp workers being depicted in fiction--and in our stereotyped images of "temps." In addition, there is ample text on survival strategies. Readers who want more in-depth material than in the book itself can use Henson's rich bibliography and endnotes sections.While the book is a relevant part of the Women in the Political Economy series, "Just a Temp" applies equally to both genders, and some parts are specifically about male temporary workers. Must reading for current, former, or would-be temps. I also recommend this for career/job-placement counselors, especially those who aren't familiar with the "down" side of temping, and--not kidding