Temp Work Allowed Me to Test Drive a Job Until I Found the Right Fit

By Jezabel Southard

Posted on September 7, 2018

Doing temp work is a great way to test drive a job. It’s a chance for you to build your skill set, try a new industry and develop professional relationships.

Gene Talley understood this. That’s why he kept an open mind about taking on temporary work.

And for a long time he was a bit of a job gypsy, trying his hand in various positions, including auto-mechanic work, packaging, carpentry, and customer service, to name a few.

Some roles lasted only months and others several years. Each role served its purpose, and he excelled in every position, but none of them were the right fit.

When his latest temp assignment was coming to an end, Gene began looking for something new. He saw an ad online for an assembly position, which led him to TERRA.

He’d never heard of TERRA before, but told himself, It’s just another test drive. There’s nothing to stress about.

So, he applied.

Clackamas Recruiter, Casey Nieuwlandt, reviewed Gene’s resume and scheduled him for an interview the following day.

Gene’s outgoing and friendly personality shined in his interview. That, combined with his diverse background and manufacturing skills, made him an ideal candidate.

Casey couldn’t wait to tell fellow Recruiter Jennifer Bailey about him. She thought Gene would be a great fit for one of Jen’s clients – a medical device company that was looking to fill a mechanical assembly position.

“Gene already had a manufacturing background and the fact that he lived near the facility made this placement perfect for him,” Jen said.

It really was a great position for him. Gene’s flexibility opened a lot of cross-training opportunities for him. He was able to test drive other roles within the company, to see where he’d be the best fit.

Throughout his whole assignment, Gene stayed positive, worked hard and didn’t miss one day of work.

This really stood out to his supervisors, which is why they hired him on as a full-time,regular employee!

Gene had worked with other staffing agencies before, but felt like they always led him to dead ends. His test drive with TERRA was his smoothest so far.

“TERRA helps you better prepare for a job in the best way possible. They keep in constant contact. They want to make sure you feel like you’re in the right position,” Gene said.

He added, “Jen was always available and kept in touch to make sure I had what I needed to be successful.”

Unsure if test driving a job is right for your lifestyle? Gene has this advice for you:

“Try a staffing agency. They can help you get your foot in the door with great companies. You get to experience what working there will actually be like. It’s a great opportunity to see if it’s a good fit first, before you commit to being a regular employee. And you get to see how the relationship works as employer and employee, which is very important.”

Thank you for letting us be part of your story, Gene! We hope you enjoy continued success!

How TERRA Can Help

Are you ready to test drive a job?

Let us connect you to companies hiring in your area.

Get started with us by checking out our current job openings.

We have offices in the Seattle-Puget SoundPortland-Metro, and Phoenix-Metro areas and our expert recruiters are waiting to speak with you!

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