by Rosanne Beers
Career Coach
Temporary positions range from clerical to factory to sales and marketing jobs to professional work in almost every category. Competition is keen between agencies for good temp help and you can request the assignments and companies you want. Temping is a viable option if you want to:
1. Research a company up close for any number of reasons.
Maybe you want permanent work so you decide to work as a temp for all the companies on your target list before interviewing with them to learn as much as you can, so you really shine in your interview. Maybe you are thinking of starting a business and you want to work for a similar type of business first to learn as much as you can and to make sure this is what you really want to do.
2. Gain industry knowledge and contacts.
Perhaps you want to learn as much as you can about a specific industry before conducting a job search or starting a business. One of the best ways to do that would be to work inside as many companies within that industry as possible. You might even want to work for some of the industry suppliers or customers.
3. Assure a good fit before signing on permanently.
A company's culture has a lot to do with whether it will be a place you will be happy working long term. Temping lets you get a sense of what it would be like to work there without having to make a long term commitment. If you like it, you will undoubtedly make some contacts that could help you land a permanent position.
4. Earn more than you can in a permanent position, if you are a professional in high demand.
Some professional temps positions pay 2-3 times more than permanent positions. If you are a professional in a field with a shortage and you're free to relocate, you can make a lot of money. These positions are often advertised in professional journals.
5. Quickly build experience and confidence in back to work transitions and career changes.
The experience and confidence you gain by temping in your field before looking for permanent employment may help you start at a higher salary than you would otherwise.
6. Increase skills and marketability right out of school.
College grads who opt for temping right out of school can fast track their careers by gaining a broader experience base than some of their colleagues who follow a more traditional route. After two years, the people who follow the traditional path of permanent employment probably have experience in just one job and consequently the skills they have developed are the ones required for that job. The person who opts for temping can request a variety of assignments within their field that allow them to develop a far wider range of skills, which means they may qualify for a supervisory position much sooner, if they decide to move into permanent employment.
7. Maintain specialized skills without sacrificing freedom.
Temping can be the perfect arrangement for anyone wanting to work just enough to maintain their skills while doing something else that requires most of their time and attention. Maintaining skills is especially important, if you have skills that utilize cutting edge technology.
8. To supplement a severance package while you look for another job or build your own business.
If you are out of work unexpectantly and without substantial reserves, temping can provide a way to stretch your severance income and savings further, provide peace of mind, and still allow you a great deal of flexibility, because you are free to turn assignments down, if you have better things to do.
9. To earn money occasionally or in a hurry.
Non- working spouses often need to earn money to pay for Christmas presents, a summer vacation, or to cover an emergency. Self employed people may need to supplement their income to cover overhead during slow periods. Temping is an excellent way to this because it is always available for the asking and you can do it on a short term basis.
10. Transition out of the workplace.
You may be ready to slow down a little and not completely. Temping offers so much flexibility to someone who wants to travel and still earn sporadically. In fact, you might even temp your way across the country.
© Rosanne Beers & Coach University. All rights reserved.
Rosanne Beers is a personal and business coach who helps professionals manage themselves better for a more fulfilling life. She can be reached at (515) 225-1245. She offers a complimentary coaching session to professionals and small business owners upon request. Her web site is located at www.4coaching.com She can be reached by email at [email protected]
Coach University offers the Coach Training Program at www.coachu.com
The contents of this document are for informational purposes only. Please seek professional, legal, and financial advice where applicable.
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