What do you think about staffing agency's?

The work is not always steady - there is a saying when working for Agency "Either you are getting Fat or Starving." Normaly you do get paid more however - usualy there are no benefits and you must pay 100% of your FICA. Once you do work for them any company(example NIX) that they send you to - to fill in you cannot work for that Company(NIX) legaly until after you have not worked for the Agency for 6 months.
Many people sign with multiple Agencies just to cover for slow time. Agencies in general do not like for you to do this and just for spite will not call you anymore if they know you have signed with another company. -So thoose who have been in the field for a while know not to tell one Agency you are also contracted with another. - It is a tricky problem too because several different Agencies have contracts with the same facilities.
The flexibility is great. Busiest time are when no one else wants to work - except in December most employees show up to work thus making it a slow time for Agency.

I worked for a Home Health Agency, which is like a staffing agency. They can be beneficial because you can set your own hours and some places send you to a different place every couple days or weeks. Some people like that, some don't. Are you the kind of person who doesn't mind change, then this will be ok for you. You get a feel for different facilities. Which is good for you as far as experiences. However I must warn you. Sometimes staffing agencies can't get you garaunteed work. Many CNA's have left these places frustrated because they were not called in for enough hours. Some may go weeks at a time without getting a case. Staffing Agencies do have "favorites". "Favorites" either know someone or been working there for a long time, so the get first dibbs on cases. New people are often stuck on the cases that no one wants to go on, so be prepared. I can work out, just be aware of the cons. With today's economy being the way it is, getting on a Staffing Agency list of CNA's beats a blank. Good Luck

I worked for a Home Health Agency, which is like a staffing agency. They can be beneficial because you can set your own hours and some places send you to a different place every couple days or weeks. Some people like that, some don't. If you have a difficult case, you can refuse to go back to that facility or house. Something you can't if you are on payroll at the facility! Are you the kind of person who doesn't mind change or a permanent schedule? Then this work out for you. You get a feel for different facilities. Which is good for your experience as a CNA. However I must warn you. Sometimes staffing agencies can't get you garaunteed work. Many CNA's have left these places frustrated because they were not called in for enough hours. (Imagine going weeks without a paycheck!) Sometimes the work is few and far in between. Many people have gone weeks at a time without getting a case. Staffing Agencies do have "favorites". "Favorites" either know someone or been working there for a long time, so they get shotgun on new open cases. New people are often stuck on the cases that no one wants to go on, so be prepared. It can work out, just be aware of the cons. With today's economy being the way it is, getting on a Staffing Agency list of CNA's beats a blank. Good Luck

I did an edit and ended up with 2 posts! Sorry!