Graham Staffing Services, Inc.

For dislocated workers searching for permanent work, turning to a temporary employment agency might seem counterintuitive.

Experts in the industry, though, say that in today's uncertain economy, partnering with a temporary employment agency should be among a job seeker's first options.

Temporary employment agencies match employers and qualified employees in assignments lasting from a week to a year or longer. The temporary assignments can supplement unemployment benefits and often lead to permanent jobs.

"If you come to a temporary agency, you will do your probationary period through the agency, and the client will hire you," said Monica Vomastic, president and chief executive officer of Landmark Staffing Resources in Appleton.

"The advantage is the employee gets to make sure it's the right long-term opportunity for them, just like the client needs to make that same decision."

Vomastic said 80 percent of Landmark's employees will be hired by its clients within their first year of employment with Landmark, and a majority of them will be hired on their first assignment.
Kathy Sonkowsky, 56, of Appleton has found employment through Landmark for 20 years, including two permanent assignments, one of which lasted six years.

She currently works for Landmark on assignment as an administrative assistant at Schenck Business Solutions in Appleton.

"They do a lot of legwork for you and match you up according to your abilities," Sonkowsky said. "Sometimes you have to interview for the position, and sometimes it's a direct send. They just tell you to report to work on Monday."

Temporary employment agencies develop relationships with companies that an individual job seeker is unlikely to have. Some companies hire exclusively from temporary employment agencies.
"They can open doors of opportunity for jobs that you wouldn't hear of or see posted online," Vomastic said. "It definitely becomes one of your resource tools to help you land work."

According to federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, staffing employment for February rose 13 percent from a year ago as companies began to see signs of an economic recoveryHans Schultz, Landmark's corporate manager of client relations, said a company might use temporary staff to manage growth in sales while a hiring freeze is in place.

"Companies aren't sure if they're going to sustain where they are at right now," Schultz said. "It gives them the window that they need" before making a permanent commitment.

Cheryl Welch, chief executive officer of the Fox Valley Workforce Development Board, said job seekers shouldn't hesitate to use a temporary employment agency, given the access they have to employers.
Welch advised job seekers to register with a reputable agency and to clearly define what type of work they would accept, how far they would travel and what shift they would work.
Otherwise, declining a temporary assignment could affect unemployment benefits.

"It could be viewed as you refused work," Welch said. "It is very important that you are specific in your parameters."

Landmark recommends that workers define the job they desire and make sure that their skills match the requirements of the job. The Fox Cities Workforce Development Center and Fox Valley Technical College can help sharpen office and computer skills.