Gary Said:

Can the UK citizen survive without job security?

We Answered:

The agencies are a blessing to the people who want split time working, odd hours, and to small businesses that need cover for a short time, or maternity leave. They also stop a lot of the gang masters from exploiting emigrants, and short changing them. I am all for continuing the system.
As to fiddling the unemployment figures ; it has been going on for years moving people off job seekers, and on to sickness benifit.
Look more at the positives and less of the negatives.

Jamie Said:

Do you include Career Services and employment agent contacts in your Facebook account?

We Answered:

It's not a good and safe idea to so. Because if a co-worker or employer see's something on your page that they don't like it, then you are out of a job. You can even be fired or disqualified from a job, just for saying that you like Stone Temple Pilots, or your writing a blog about your concern for alternative energy, or having a pic of you in one of your albums drinking a beer or if someone puts a NSFW comment on your page or who you have on your friend list.

Employers have this special unwritten rule for employees:
Anything action you perform, no matter what, whether on duty or not, whether at work or else where, you better have your job on your mind at all times.

Harold Said:

Data Entry or Trainee Receptionist?

We Answered:

Data entry is boring and offers no career prospects. However, the same could be said about reception work, depending on what sort of an environment you're working in. But as you've pointed out, data entry pays better.

If you're definitely going to uni in September, I'd take the data entry job since on £11 per hour, you could afford to live quite well between now and then and maybe even save some money. I know it's only a three-month contract but once you have experience in this field, you'll easily find something else when the contract ends.

If there's a chance that you won't be going to uni, I wouldn't seriously consider either of these jobs - I'd look for something more interesting and with better prospects (but maybe you could temp either on reception or doing data entry between now and then).

In terms of leaving a permanent job, you're talking about almost a whole year away so I wouldn't worry about it - it's not like you're mucking them around by leaving after only a couple of weeks. Many receptionists would move on after a year anyway, as they use the position as an entrance to a corporate environment and then once they have some experience can move onto a secretarial or PA job. So whilst I'm thinking that you should go with the data entry, don't be put off the reception position simply because it's permanent.

If you want to now reject the reception job, simply call the agency and tell them. Be advised that this may jeopardise your future relationship with them, but at the end of the day you need to do what's best for you, and anyway there are hundreds more agencies out there. Besides, it's better from their perspective that you're quitting before you even get there rather than after you've started.

Call them ASAP to give them a chance to find someone else for the job. You don't have to go into detail, but the points I would make are:
- You don't feel comfortable taking on a permanent position, and instead would prefer to temp
- You have "other prospects" which would be paying much higher
The reason you should tell them this is because they might then be able to find you a job which is more suited to your requirements.

Gregory Said:

Without job security- can a person be led into depression?

We Answered:

Employment agencies suck. I work as a contractor. Currently I know for a fact that the agency makes £45 every day I show up. £45 a day for doing nothing and that effectively is coming out of my pocket.

Its a rip off, unfortunately a lot of companies won't deal with you directly so youre forced to work within the system. Im currently on my 80th working day on this project. That means the agency has already made £3600 and counting ...... and all for saying 'Hello Company A ..... meet dave g'.

Cheryl Said:

what do you think about employment agencies?

We Answered:

I have also experienced the same and could not found a job through such agencies. I would suggest you to look the daily news papers and find out some enterly level jobs, no matter of wages they, you must joint someone to get some experience.