borderline business agency ltd

Why temp for BBA?

Lots of reasons! You may have just finished a college of university course involving IT skills and want to put these to use by "temping" with us, for a variety of clients. You can acquire experience in different types of companies, using a wide range of equipment and software - a great way of adding value to your cv! You also meet new people and can find what sort of organisation suits your personality best. Temping gives you flexibility in working. Students may only be able to temp outside term-time and Mums may only be available whilst their children are at school, so we can get the best of both worlds. Some temps are full-time, some part-time, which can mean a couple of days a week or some hours every day - it all depends on what the clients want.

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Does temping lead to permanent work?

Yes, in many instances it does. Temping is a great way to try out jobs on a temporary basis, many of which lead to permanent engagements. Clients like to try out staff before committing themselves to a permanent arrangement and temps also benefit from seeing what the job is like before they take on the post.

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Is there a cut-off age for temping?

No. If you have taken early retirement but still want to "keep your hand in" there may be opportunities to help out on a temp basis, and then when you have earned enough you can fly off for that well-deserved holiday in the sun.

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How does BBA work?

First of all, when you phone or email us to find out about registering with our employment agency, we usually ask you to email or post us an up to date c.v., and after we have looked at the c.v. we contact you to fix up an interview, if appropriate, at one of our offices (Duns, Selkirk or Haddington).

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What does a BBA interview involve?

At the interview we talk to you about what you are looking for and carry out one or two tests on the computer to assess what kind of work will suit you. At the interview you have a chance to ask any questions about temporary or permanent work. We take up references after the interview and put you on the register for work.

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What are the chances of getting work in the area?

The more flexible you are, the better! People who can travel to different assignments and are available at short notice (sometimes the same day) are in demand. After the interview we usually phone or email you as soon as a suitable post arises to see if you would like your cv put forward. Temps are unlikely to be favoured if they let us down over an assignment at the last minute without a sound reason as this directly affects our reputation with the client.

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How do I get paid?

If you are temping for one of our clients, we send you a timesheet each week to complete and return to us, in order for us to pay you (the important bit!). You need to send us an up to date P45 or P46 in order for us to deal with your tax and national insurance. You are normally paid in arrears of about a week and a half, allowing for the banks to clear the payment. Payment can be by cheque in the post or by Royline and is normally weekly.

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What is the job security like for temps?

Temp jobs are just that - temporary, and can finish at any time, there is no guarantee from the client that the work is for a specific time. We respond to what the client wants and that can be half a day up to half a year - our job is to be flexible and fill the gaps needed by customers. Our best temps are kept pretty busy - this is why we are still in business after 20 years!

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Is there holiday pay?

Yes, you are entitled to four weeks' holiday pay per year, pro rata to the time you have worked for us, accumulating from day one of your first temping assignment, and running to the end of the year. Holiday is not carried over from one year to the next.

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What if I am ill on the day of my assignment?

Let us and the client know immediately! We must be in a position to offer the client a replacement temp if necessary so please phone us if you are unable to attend work. If you qualify, you will be entitled to statutory sick pay.

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What sort of work is available through BBA?

Most of our assignments are office-based, either clerical, secretarial, administrative or reception. They may include data entry or use of a variety of computer packages, and many involve customer services.

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What do you look for in a temp?

BBA always needs flexible, adaptable people with a cheerful attitude to work, the willingness to travel at short notice to as many places as possible, and the initiative to make the most of an assignment and keep our clients happy. The temps who are never short of work are the ones with these attributes, and they are the ones who also get the first offers of permanent employment because of their positive attitude. If you are one of them please contact us as soon as possible because WE NEED YOU!!!!

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What makes the perfect temp?

Here are some tips picked up by our own temps over the years and passed on to us to help you make the most of your experience with our agency. We hope you find them helpful.

• Know where you are going, who you are reporting to and if possible take time to have a look at a client's website to find out more about them before you start the assignment.
• Arrive on time, as this is the first impression a client has of you. If you are running late for an appointment, always call BBA immediately so that we can notify the client.
• Wear smart casual clothes unless told otherwise. Jeans and trainers are not a good first impression and it is better to be over-dressed then under-dressed. By all means ask us at the office if you are not sure what the dress code is.
• Take a notebook and pen to your assignment - remembering the names of the people you meet is helpful! And half the fun of temping is meeting new people and seeing new places. A cheerful and enthusiastic temp will always be asked back!
• Keep your mobile phone off during working hours and if you need to make a call please do so during a break or lunch-time. If we need to call you we will leave a message on your phone or call you via the client's phone.
• Please do not use client's email or internet for private use without permission from the client.
• Ensure your timesheets are accurate and sent to us on time. We need details of your hours by Tuesday of the following week to process your payment on time. Make sure the hours are signed by the client, that the hours add up correctly and that your name is on the timesheet. They can be faxed or posted to us. Fax Number is 01361 884117 (but please phone us on 01361 883633 to confirm that we have received your fax - sometimes we receive a blank sheet of paper where the fax has been loaded upside-down!).
• If you are unsure about anything please ask. It is better to clarify quickly with the client and get it right than make a mistake. If you have finished all the work, ask for more! Clients don't always know how much our temps can handle (lots!) or how quickly and may wait for you to take the initiative in asking for more. And the day goes quicker when you are busy.
• Commit to the booking. Please treat your temporary post with the same respect that you would a permanent placement. Obviously we honour important interviews and appointments but please try to make appointments before or after work or in lunch-hours. And please give us adequate notice about other commitments so that we can tell the client in advance.
• If you are unwell please let Borderline and the client know immediately so that we can help the client with any cover needed. Clients are rightly annoyed by not knowing if a temp is coming in or not and we also find it frustrating when we find out someone has not turned up for a job. We are not likely to use a temp again who does not treat the placement with respect.
• If you are offered a long term position and feel you cannot commit to it, don't accept it. It is unfair to clients if you pull out of a booking early. If you are looking for permanent employment be realistic. Let potential employers know that you have committed to a temporary job and cannot start until you have finished the assignment. Again we are not keen to use temps who let us down during an assignment as it affects our reputation for reliability. As a courtesy we expect a week's notice in any temporary assignment for BBA, to give the client time to take on someone else. We do respect co-operation.
• Keep in touch with the BBA office and remember we are here to help you. Let us know if you have any problems and how the assignment is going - we value your input and want you to be happy working for us. Be honest about the assignments, and if you have any trouble we need to know so that we do not put anyone else in the same situation without giving them useful information. Your feedback can help us to provide a better service to clients and also help keep our temps happy - very important!

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