There are benefits to taking a temporary assignment, and to working with a temp firm. For example when a graduate is challenged in finding a permanent job in a timely manner, working temp or on a contract basis fills in the gap of not working at all. It is key to remember, she says, that an individual is more marketable when employed, even if it is on a temporary basis. Employers are often wary of hiring job applicants who have extended periods of unemployment, and temp jobs can be a way of filling a gap on your resume.
Temp work is an excellent way to gain experience and additional skills. For those with little work experience, it can be a way to demonstrate their abilities. For those with background issues it can be a way of proving their commitment to ‘turning around,’ and to choosing a different lifestyle.
Short term temp gigs are also an excellent opportunity to gain understanding and adjust to corporate culture at a specific employer, according to Gilmore. And it is a chance for the job-seeker to ‘interview’ every day on the job, proving his or her skills in case the employer becomes ready to open a full-time position.
Every time you work as a temp or on a contract: it is your foot in the door!
Working through a temp agency or staffing firm also helps you keep up your skills and stay marketable, and it helps you identify a particular employer as right for you; helps you clarify your skills and interests.
Additionally, many employment agencies/staffing firms will test your skills, especially if you work in general office/administration. That helps you and the employer know where you stand.
If the assignment is just not working for you, you can leave it more easily than leaving full employment; you can try another temp job and see how it goes.
