The Red Guide to Temp Agencies

Review of Essex

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1501 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
212-391-1515

Total time with agency:
six months

Wait for first assignment:
1 Weeks

Average wait between assignments:
1

Last five jobs:

Job Title	Length	Client	Hourly Wage	Typical of agency?
Clerical	1 Months	PR Firm	10	Y
Receptionist	2 Months	Film Company		Y
Receptionist	1 Days			Y
				Y
				Y

Tests given:
in depth intellegence test, language, math, word, excel, typing

Payroll policies:
On-site time sheet pickup:
Direct deposit of payroll checks: Y
Free check cashing at agency's bank: Y

Benefits:
Medical insurance:
Dental insurance:
Paid vacation:
Transportation allowance:
Entertainment allowance:
Matching contributions:

Comments:
ESSEX TEMP COUNSOLORS ARE A BUNCH OF MID-LEVEL "YES MEN" WITH THE CLASS AND CHARM OF USED CAR SALESMEN. THEY DON'T HAVE THE BALLS TO DEMAND DECENT FEES FROM THEIR CLIENTS, THEREFORE, IN TURN, YOU, THE TEMP, GET SHAFTED. DO YOU REALLY WANT A NERVOUS BOSS WHO LIVES IN FEAR OF HIS OWN SHADOW TO BE THE ONE BARGAINING FOR YOUR SALARY?

The first job Essex sent me out on was as an office assistant for $10 an hour at a big PR firm. It turned out that it was actually an administrative assistant position in which I took dictation, composed letters on behalf of the CEO, did data entry and returned e-mails for the higher-ups, as well as made travel plans and out-of-state conference arangements. Soon I was moved to another part of the office where I was trained by a Senior Ad Executive to do the job of the Junior Ad Executive who'd just quit. I compiled media lists from the Bacon's CD ROM and did research projects on the internet... for $10 an hour.

Two weeks later, I asked for a raise. My counselor said something vague and I didn't hear from him for over a week. When I finally did hear from Essex it was to tell me that my assignment there was over.

The next job was as receptionist for $10 an hour at a movie company - (a company that had hired and fired SEVEN permanent receptionists between the months of October and July!) Soon I was asked to perform additional duties: In charge of the interns, in charge of inventory and ordering all office, film, editing and personal supplies for 40 employees, Internet research projects, office finances... I was not allowed to take lunch breaks and found myself working, literally, 50 hour week for peanuts.

I informed my Essex counselor that they were just about to hire permanent receptionist (after first asking me to stay on permanently), but if they didn't, I wanted to stop working there within a couple of weeks anyway and get my life back. The following Monday I was too sick from exhaustion to go to work. Coincidently, and happily, my job ended that day, too when they hired the permanent receptionist. But the perpetual "Client is Jesus" freaks at Essex were pissed at me and assumed that my absense made them lose their account (even though the company asked me stay on as a permanent hire). They didn't call me for work for close to a month.

Then out of the blue, they sent me on a job for $10 at a PR magazize comany. My counselor described the job as "light phones" which implies reception. The con artist placed me as the EXECUTIVE SECRETARY of the Editor-in-Cheif (for $10 an hour): composing and signing letters on his behalf, taking dictation, typing, monthy expense accounting... I immediatly called Essex and demanded a raise. Later that afternoon, a couple of the women in the HR department of the magazine told me that Essex had sent an illiterate temp the day before and the client was outraged, so to keep them happy, they cut thier rates by a long shot and sent me in to to clean up the mess for cheap.

Of course my counselor at Essex said that since this is a new client, he doesn't feel comfortable asking them for more money. That's not MY problem. This is a secretarial job and you must pay accordingly. Now, if the client is only offering to pay you for reception when they KNOW they need a secretary, they're fucking YOU, too! Don't you get it!?! Lay down the law. Stand your ground. Don't say "Please, sir, may I have another?". Especialy not at my expense.

Anyway, Essex offered me a raise of a whopping .50 more per hour!!!

So I left for lunch and called Essex from a pay phone and told them that I wouldn't be returning to the job that day and that I never want to work with them again. Then I went to my boyfriends office nearby, made whoppee on his desk and then we went out for lunch at McDonalds.

Reporter:
Deep Throat

Email:

Date:
Thu Aug 19 21:15:59 GMT 1999

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The Red Guide to Temp Agencies is copyright 1994-2004 by Angus B. Grieve-Smith.
It may be reproduced in its entirety, but may not be sold for profit or reproduced in part without written permission of the Editor.

Feel free to email me with questions or comments. Please do NOT email me your resume. I am not an employer, and I cannot get you a job. If you send me your resume anyway, I will report it to your internet provider. My email address is grvsmth@panix.com.