Home « Online Job Search Guide « Guide to Temporary Work
Guide to the Temporary Work Option
Sometimes a temporary job is the proverbial life saver that enables you to pay your bills while you find your next "permanent" job. Sometimes, temporary work is all you have time for.
"Temporary" vs. "Permanent" Employment Trends
In the current economy, mid-2013, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a continuing trend for employers to open temporary jobs. Maybe these employers will eventually convert those jobs into permanent positions. Maybe they won't. What the future holds is unclear.
Some economists believe that this increase in temporary employment is, in fact, temporary because employers are waiting to open permanent jobs, unsure of the economic recovery. Others see the trend of increased temporary employment continuing into the future - an increasingly permanent part of the whole job market.
Sometimes a temporary job is all you can find. And, of course, sometimes a "permanent" job becomes temporary when there is a layoff or an employer goes out of business.
Finding Temporary Employment
Temporary jobs are found most often through a recruiting agency. Some agencies specialize in filling temporary positions. Other agencies offer it as a service to their regular clients.
Some employers do post their temp jobs on their websites or through job boards. You may find these job postings through the Internet, like any other job postings. Some job boards specialize in temporary jobs. Snagajob.com is typical of the temporary job boards. Job-Hunt sponsor Indeed.com (see the "Job Listings" box above) is the largest source of jobs.
Working with a Temporary Recruiting Agency
Working through a temporary agency is often a short-cut to quickly finding temporary employment, assuming you pass their screening and any testing that may be needed.
When you find a temporary job through a temporary agency, your official employer is the agency. Agencies charge their client employers more for the services of temporary employees than they pay those same employees, or they would not be able to stay in business. At the end of the year, the agency should send you the appropriate IRS forms just like your other employers have done.
Some temporary agencies specialize in a field or an industry, like engineering, nurses, or office workers. Others specialize in a geographic area, and still others offer general recruiting services, filling both permanent and temporary needs their clients have.
Like any recruiting agency, a temporary agency's clients are the employers, not the job seekers, although they may work closely with job seekers who have the skills and experience in high demand.
Help with Temporary Employment
- Temporary Employment as an Audition
Most job seekers are focused on obtaining full-time work and full-time work only. In many cases, job seekers don't consider temporary employment as a job search option because they either don't know about it or don't understand how it works. Yet, temporary employment may be a way to get back to work faster.
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Temporary Employment
Like anything else, there are definitely advantages and disadvantages for becoming a temp. For some people, it is the perfect solution. For others, it is less-than-perfect, but a way to pay the bills until a "real" job is found.
This section of Job-Hunt will help you find a temporary job. Other sections of Job-Hunt provide information to help you with other aspects of your job search: "Guide to Job Interviews," "Guide to Working with Recruiters," "Guide to Job Search Networking," "Guide to Social Media and Job Search" and much more...
