Manpower Search

         Manpower is a temporary-employment search engine that finds local job listings in the area of your choosing. When I performed a search in Madison, Wisconsin I found that there were very few listings. There were a mere 15 available positions in the 25 mile search radius and most of them consisted of contract positions relying on physical labor instead of a skillset. I also performed a similar search in the “Jobs” section of Craigslist and received 120+ job listings with a slightly higher emphasis on the service industry instead of the industrial setting.

          When I searched my hometown, Wisconsin Dells, I received no search results. Because Wisconsin Dells has a very unique economy that is reliant on the tourism industry, there is a very sharp decline in jobs during the off season. From late September until early March it is very difficult to find a temporary or short-term job, but from April until August the local businesses require a workforce 10 times the size of their winter staff. Many jobs in the summer months rely on customer service skills and minimal technical skills. These positions are usually filled with foreign workers from Europe, South America, and some from Asia.

          My last search was done in Seattle, Washington. I found 27 open positions with a similar industrial setting as Madison. Most of these positions hold a title like technician, consultant, and specialist, implying some sort of technological skillset. After looking into the job descriptions, most of these positions prefer at least an Associate’s Degree but don’t require one.

          Overall this seems to be an effective search tool if you only intend on finding temporary employment. These jobs require minimal skills and offer minimal benefits or job security. This would be a good place to find a part time job but not a place for growth or advancement.