380. Hiring Temp Workers

📝 Translation

• Original Bethany: I just talked to Steve about hiring replacements for Cyril, who quit last month and for Megan, who is leaving at the end of this week. Do you know what he told me? He doesn’t want to hire ==permanent replacements==. He wants to make do with temps! Enrique: I can see it from Steve’s perspective. The economy isn’t so good right now and maybe he’s not sure if we can afford full-time replacements. Bethany: But how am I supposed to staff the office to cover all of the work that needs to be done with temps?! Enrique: Don’t undervalue temps. Many of them are very skilled and you may be surprised at how well they do. I should know. I worked as a temp right after graduating from college. Bethany: You did? I didn’t know that. But you went to a great school. I’m surprised you had trouble landing a full-time job. Enrique: Actually, I was offered a full-time job before I graduated, but I turned it down. I decided I wanted to test the waters in a few different companies before deciding on where I wanted to work. In retrospect, it was the best thing I could have done. Bethany: You didn’t miss the job security? Enrique: Yeah, I did, but there are other perks to working as a temp. I got offered ==permanent jobs with two of the companies I temped== for. That’s how I got my first full-time job. Working there was the best way to get my foot in the door. Bethany: Well, thanks for the fresh perspective. Maybe working with temps won’t be so bad. Enrique: I hope not. And if they ==get out of line, just tell me and I'll set them straight==. Bethany: Yeah, right.

• Chinese Bethany：我刚跟Steve谈了关于招聘替代Cyril和Megan的事。Cyril上个月辞职了，Megan这周末也要走了。你知道他跟我说什么吗？他不想招正式员工，他想用临时工来凑合！ Enrique：我能理解Steve的想法。现在经济不太好，也许他不确定我们是否负担得起全职的替补人员。 Bethany：但我怎么能靠临时工来给办公室配齐人手，完成所有需要做的工作呢？！ Enrique：别小看临时工。他们当中很多人都很有能力，他们的表现可能会让你吃惊。这一点我最清楚了。我大学毕业后就做过临时工。 Bethany：真的吗？我不知道。但你上的是好学校啊，我很惊讶你找全职工作会有困难。 Enrique：其实，我毕业前就收到了一份全职工作的offer，但我拒绝了。我决定先在几家不同的公司试试水，再决定去哪里工作。回过头来看，那是我做过的最好的决定。 Bethany：你不想念那种工作的稳定性吗？ Enrique：想啊，但做临时工还有其他好处。有两家我做过临时工的公司给我提供了正式职位。我的第一份全职工作就是这么得来的。在那里工作是我迈入职场的最好方式。 Bethany：嗯，谢谢你提供的新视角。也许跟临时工一起工作也没那么糟。 Enrique：希望如此。如果他们不守规矩，告诉我，我来教训他们。 Bethany：是啊，好的。

• First 2026-03-03 12:22 B: I just talked to Steve about hiring to replace replacements for Cyril and Megan with Steve. Cyril quitted quit last month and Megan is going to quit this weekend leave at the end of this week. You know what he said to me? He don’t doesn't want to hire permernet permanent employees and he want wants to use make do with temp workers. E: I understand Steve’s thoughts. The econamic now economy right now is not good, and he may not be sure that if whether we can afford a full-time job replacement. B: But how can I relay rely on a temporary worker to fill the office’s workers staff the office to finish all of the work that need needs to be done?! E: Don’t look little on a temp worker undervalue temp workers. They are a lot of people are talent Many of them are very skilled and their performance may make you surprised. I’m the clearest one about this point I should know. I was a temp worker after graduating. B: Really? I didn’t know ==that==. But the school you in is went to was good, and what I’m surprised by is that you was hard to find you had trouble finding a full-time job. E: Actually, I got a full-time job offer before graduating, but I put it down turned it down. I decided to test the waters among in different companies, then decided decide where I went wanted to work. In retrospect, that’s the best decision that I’ve made. B: Didn’t you want the stable of that kind of job miss the job security? E: Yes, I did, but there are also other perks as to working as a temp worker. There were two companies that I worked for as a temp worker that offered me a formal position. My first full-time job was got in this way That's how I got my first full-time job. Working at there is was the best way to get my foot in the door I went to work. B: Okay, thanks for your new perspective. Maybe it’s not so bad working with a temp worker temps. E: I hope so. If they are not good behavior get out of line, tell me, and I’ll give them a lesson set them straight. B: Yes, it’s good Yeah, right.

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Full review: 380. Hiring Temp Workers - Review

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Key Takeaways

• No double conjunctions: “that” (for statements) and “if/whether” (for questions/uncertainty) cannot be used together. Use “not sure if/whether”.
• Parallel verbs: After “to”, verbs separated by “and/or/then” should both be bare infinitives (e.g., “to test… then decide”).
• Tense agreement: When describing a past experience and its result, ensure your verbs stay in the past tense (“Working there was…”).
• Knowing “that”: The verb “know” frequently needs an object (“that” or “it”) when referring back to a stated fact.
• in vs among: Use “in a company” for gaining experience inside an organization.
• Plurals for categories: Refer to general groups in the plural (“temps”) rather than an undefined singular (“a temp worker”).