What are the typical contracts like with staffing companies?

Just make sure to read the fine print. The staffing agency will tell you what ever they need to to get you on them. They get huge comissions and payment from companies for employees because typically theres no insurance, etc.

Watch the pay scale. He may have gave an amount, but make sure it's the same when you get there. Also keep in mind that you can be hired through a contract company and be put on full time later, or the opposite could happen and never get on full time with company.

Remember, the company can get rid of you easier now. Just as you (employee) could call in one day to contract company and say you don't like the work and want placed somewhere else, the company can do the same to you. Not necessarily required to give notice either. So just be careful if this job means alot and you really need it. Don't depend on it too much or stop trying to find something better.

Good luck to you.

Well, first of all, as a contractor, you literally sign away your employee rights. There are no benefits (i.e. health insurance, 401K, vacation, etc.) unless the staffing agency provides them. You are also employed on a day-to-day basis, even if it is a "long term" or "ongoing" assignment. They (both the staffing agency & the client company) have no obligation to keep you, and can get rid of you for any reason at any time and owe you nothing other than pay for hours worked. Thus, you will become a "disposable employee." That's how many big companies save millions every year, by maintaining a disposable workforce that they don't have to provide any benefits for and can dump them anytime profits/production are down with no obligation.

Read the contract closely. There are contracts that actually stipulate how many days you will be guranteed and how much you will be paid, regardless of the amount of hours you work, although that's more for special projects and are usually the exception rather than the rule.

Whoever sent you on that assignment is an airhead. When you are in the staffing agencies database, they rarely have the same company that the temp worked previously, but in your case, this is one of the rare ones. I say you still have "work", whenever another assignment comes along. You only work for the agency and not the cpompany. Good luck.