How to Pick a Temp Agency

* Do your homework. “Call the human resources department of a major local employer and ask which firm they use,” suggests Lynn Taylor, a vice president at Robert Half International. “Or call a line manager or an administrative-level person in the department you’re interested in.”

Ask professors, friends, college career counselors and professional associations for referrals. Check out staffing-industry trade publications and trade groups such as the National Assn. of Temporary Services. Many temp agencies now have Web sites on the Internet.

* Specialize. Pick an agency, or a division within the agency, that specializes in placing workers in your field. They’ll probably have the best assignments.

* Comparison shop. Do information interviews and consider signing up with more than one agency. “Being nosey gets lots of information.”says Jerry McBee, director of career services at Pepperdine Universty.

* Think small. “A mom-and-pop firm isn’t necessarily bad,” said Claudia Allen, of the National Assn. of Colleges and Employers.