Employment Spot

Temp Work

Temporary employment has been on the rise ever since its boom in the 1990’s. According to the American Staffing Association, 2.96 million people per day are currently employed by staffing companies. These people are sent on temporary jobs and assignments to companies in various industries. There are many different reasons to seek out temporary employment. Individuals who do temp work can be roughly “classified” into the following four different categories - which one best suits you?

1. The “Job-Seeker” Temp Temporary jobs are great for individuals who are currently searching for a job. Temp work provides great experience and is an excellent addition to a resume - it shows that you have a wide skill set and can easily adapt to a changing and foreign environment. Furthermore, the flexibility of temporary work allows you to search for a new job while you temp. You can attend career fairs or schedule job interviews in between your assignments. In fact, most companies who hire temps are expecting that their employees will be looking for a permanent job. With temp work, you can earn money while simultaneously gaining experience and conducting your job search - what more could you ask for?

2. The “Career-Driven” Temp Career-focused temps are hoping to further their career through temporary employment. These people may seek out temporary jobs in order to improve their skills, learn about new fields in their industry, and gain experience to help them in a future job. Not only does temp work help you gain this experience, but it also allows you to explore different career paths and find out what sort of life-long career you want to pursue. The most common “career-driven” temps include high school and college grads, college students, and adults re-entering the workforce after taking extended time-off or layoffs. Temp work may be especially attractive for recent college graduates who have not yet secured a job but want to gain experience in the working world (and earn some money) as soon as possible.

3. The “Career Hopeful” Temp These temps are “career hopefuls” because rather than bouncing from job to job, they are hoping to land the desired “temp-to-hire” or “temp-to-perm” positions. A temp-to-hire position means that there is an opportunity for the position to become permanent if the temp is the right fit for the job and company. In a way, it is like a company’s way of screening job applicants before actually making a hiring decision, thus reducing the cost of employee turnover and allowing the company to see how the the individual interacts in a work environment. Some temps are happy to do temp work for a position even if it isn’t being advertised as temp-to-hire. If a temporary employee can make a lasting impression on an employer, the employer may consider him in any future job openings or even create a new position just for him.

4. The “Permanent” Temp While “temporary” work doesn’t sound full-time or permanent, it can actually be both. Temp work is not just for individuals who are searching for a job or looking to gain experience. You can actually be permanently temporary. Some people choose to make a career out of temp-ing. From day-long assignments, to special projects, to assignments that last a couple years, temporary work provides individuals with diverse tasks and the opportunity to gain experience working in anything from small mom-and-pop stores to large Fortune 500 corporations. Temporary work is great for individuals who love a changing, stimulating environment.

By now it should be clear to you that there isn’t just one “type” of person who works for temporary agencies - anyone can do temp work. And don’t forget that no matter who you are, temporary jobs allow for more flexibility than most permanent jobs. If you want to take a month-long vacation to a tropical island, it’s as easy as telling your temporary staffing agency that you will not be working during those dates - there is nothing stopping you (at least as far as work goes).

If you think that temp work is something you want to do, the next question is, where do you go to find these temporary jobs? On average, 15% of U.S. businesses use staffing services in a given year. In addition, the larger the business, the more likely they are to hire from staffing agencies. When you are looking for a temporary job, your best bet is to go to a temporary staffing agency. Some temp work agencies, like Manpower, Kelly Services and OfficeTeam, operate nationwide with many local offices. Other temp work agencies are regional and local. Here you will “interview” with a staffing manager from the temp agency. After completing some tests, assessing your skills and goals, and determining what sort of temp work you want to pursue, you will be an employee of the temp agency and ready to be sent out on your first assignment.

You can search for temporary employment using online databases such as EmploymentSpot, where you will find that the opportunities for temp work range from law, healthcare, manufacturing, administrative/clerical, marketing, accounting, bookkeeping and more. According to the American Staffing Association, the most popular temp jobs include those in office/clerical, industrial, accounting and finance, IT/technical, healthcare, executive and management, sales and marketing, and legal fields. With all these options, there is likely to be some sort of temp work that interests you.