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The Perks of Taking a Temp Job

The Perks of Taking a Temp Job

Professional employees sometimes resist the idea of taking a temp job, usually for one of three reasons: 1.) they fear the time spent in a temporary position will cut into hours that should be spent searching for a permanent job, 2.) they fear being stigmatized by peers and future employers, and 3.) they assume temp jobs are low skilled or low paying. As it happens, all three of these things are myths. And job seekers who step into temp work are usually very happy that they made the move. Many of them wonder why it took them so long. If you’re on the market but hesitant to accept temporary or contingency employment, think twice, and consider the benefits.

1. Temping will save time, not waste it.

As a temp, you’ll exercise control over your own hours. Let your agency contact know upfront how long and how often you’d like to work during the week, and chances are, she’ll find an employer who needs exactly the number of hours you have to offer. You can start your morning with a few hours of work and then spend the evening and afternoon immersed in your permanent job search.

2. Temporary work supports your resume.

If you’ve been on the job market for more than a month or two, you’re about to reach the point at which potential employers will start asking questions. Why haven’t you found work yet? What have you been doing with your non-working hours? Have you been keeping up with your industry? If you have skilled temp work on your resume, you’ll have easy answers to each of these questions…but since your work history will also show a recent or current entry, employers probably won’t ask them.

3. Temp jobs are often technical and highly relevant to what you do.

You may not think of engineering, implementation, technical consulting, or coding as “temp jobs”. But they are. Modern temp work is often professional and highly skilled, and many in-demand temp jobs require college and post-collegiate degrees. Before you assume you’ll be sweeping floors, take a closer look. Your temporary position may provide you with valuable experience or exposure to a new corner of your industry.

For more information on how temporary work can benefit your career—and stabilize your bank account—contact the technical staffing experts at Techneeds.