The good thing about posting your resume on certain recruiter websites is that the jobs come to your email box. The bad thing is also that the jobs that are absolute crap show up in your email box--and eventually, thanks to the internet, the third-world recruiters find your phone. C'mon--most of you are familiar with the script: "HI! My name is 'BOB' from" (mumbles company name that may or may not be legitimate.) "I saw your resume on" (website). "Are you still looking for a Software Engineering job?" ME: "Yes." BOB: "I have such a software position...." (NOTE: They rarely tell you up front what type of position it is, and they almost never give you the company name, which immediately makes this information about as helpful as an offer for cut-rate dental work. You don't know if you're getting the tooth-whitening procedure, or if an off-duty mechanic will be pulling a molar with pliers!) ME: "Where is it?" BOB: "Santa Clara, CA." ME: "Not interested." BOB: "But you are still looking? Why don't you want this job?"ME: "Because some of us lived there 20 years ago, and it was crowded then. And some of us also don't like the idea of spending $2 million dollars for a cracker box." BOB: "But we pay top dollar!" ME (Resisting urge to laugh.) "Okay. How much is top dollar?" BOB: "$70" ME: "I already set up my own company. When I take contract jobs I charge $150 per hour." BOB: "Let me check." (Goes offline then comes back.) "I am authorized to go as high as $80 per hour. ME: "Not interested." BOB: "But you don't have to LIVE in Santa Clara! You could COMMUTE!" ME: "It's a 9 hour drive." (I hang up, wondering why people believe that only Americans are ignorant about the geography of other countries.)
The following are a few tips from the Spouse, who is also an attorney: (1) Very few PEOs/short term staffing agencies are registered in CA. Work with those that are, and that specialize in placement in technical positions. (2) Look for a company website. Pull down the list of benefits--particularly health insurance. Many companies claiming to be short-term staffing agencies have crappy health insurance because they use Voluntary Sef-Insurance (VSI) as a profit center. (Think AFLAC, dental insurance, vision insurance, and similar products) These are paid for by employees in addition to their health insurance, and deducted from wages. The PEO gets a commission for signing you up. Also, some employee health insurance costs more for your family than any plan offered by the government, and/or does not cover as much. In short, to get adequate coverage, you may wind up paying twice for health care. If you can't get a copy of the health insurance and other benefits offered prior to sign-up with the firm, the safest bet is not to take the job. (3) Reputable PEOs are paid by the company they work for. They do not take a "cut" from your pay check. (4) Most employers who pay pay using a W-2 are liable for insuring that a portion of your federal and state taxes are paid at certain intervals, and must pay for workers' compenation and unemployment insurance. Make sure any PEO you sign up with does this. (5) Do NOT provide your Soc. Sec. No. or TID and other personal identifiers over the internet. Do not send in a contract to a company via the internet. Make sure any PEO you work with is a US Corporation/LLC with a physical address in this state--preferably local, and NOT just a PO BOX.