Making Your Temporary Experience Work for You

A temporary job, in addition to providing individuals with income while seeking full-time employment, can help them gain work experience in various organizations and industries. “Temp” jobs can also help individuals enhance skills, develop new skills, and explore careers in others fields. For employers seeking to fill select positions, attempting to meet short-term staffing needs while saving money, using a temporary agency makes good sense.

For Employees Seeking a Temp Agency

More people than ever before are turning to temporary agencies to find employment for the very first time in their lives. Still, when it comes to seeking temporary agencies, no one size fits all. The range of services an agency offers often depends on the size of the company, its ownership and specialization.

Temporary assignments can last from several hours to several months. Short-term assignments offer more flexibility while allowing job seekers to continue their full-time job search. On the other hand, longer assignments allow individuals to learn additional skills, as well as increase their networking contacts. An independently owned firm may offer clients more individualized attention, while typically larger or regional agencies offer more resources, more opportunities.

So, how do individuals know which temp agency is right for them? Start, by obtaining recommendations from ‘current temps’ or others who have used a temp agency, if possible. Ask questions. For instance, does the agency pay promptly? Does the agency offer any other benefits besides wages? In other words, do your research. Knowing what services specific agencies offer is helpful to know before applying. Applying to firms that specialize in your field of interest might also increase your options.

You say there is only one temporary agency where you live. Even with such limited options, there are ways individuals can maximize their success. Being upfront about their requirements is one way. For instance, do you require long-term assignments? If you are available to work a variety of schedules, say that. The more flexible an individual is tends to generate steadier assignments. Being able to work at a variety of locations, or varied schedules makes it easier for individuals to widen their work experiences and utilize their marketable skills. It can also increase their visibility within a specific industry or organization.

Temporary agencies look for the same skills in a job candidate as full-time employers. Some of these skills are innate, while others are often learned. Those innate skills include being a self motivator, detail oriented and focused. Like all employers temporary agencies also value strong work habits such as punctuality, and a willingness to do more than what is expected. Making a great first impression is also important; so dress appropriately. By proving themselves to a company, frequently individuals gain full time employment — transitioning them from temporary status to a permanent position.

I am a temp-to-permanent employee. My first temp assignment was at Emory’s School of Nursing which lasted for two weeks. My next assignment lasted six months; another lasted for three months. On a second assignment at the Nursing School, a lady whom worked as an administrative assistant in fund-raising mentioned that she had seen me before, and asked if I was seeking full-time employment. She mentioned that she was leaving because her family was relocating, and suggested that I interview for her position. With a brief break in service due to the loss of research funding at yet another Emory School, I’ll be at Emory 18 years. My current Administrative Assistant is a temp-to-permanent hire, as is the recently hired AA down the hall from my office.

Employers Seeking Temporary Staff

As non-profits increasingly face shrinking budgets, temporary staffing has grown in popularity. Today’s temporary employees are used across the country to do everything from stuffing envelopes, from sales to marketing to helping with writing grants. Using temporary workers saves money as it eliminates carrying workers on payroll year-round, or providing benefits.

So, whether you are an individual seeking employment, or an employer seeking workers, like any other venture, you only get as much out of it as you put in. By selecting the right temporary agency, and by optimizing their temporary experiences, individuals and organizations can maximize employment success.

Carol Gee, M.A. has worked in education for 26 years in positions ranging from teaching to administration. Currently she is an editor and business writer at Goizueta Business School at Emory University. She is also the author of books, The Venus Chronicles and Diary of a ‘Flygirl’ Wannabe (Life Lessons of a Cool Girl in Training,) and a contributor to the baby boomer book, Age Smart-Discovering the Fountain of Youth at Midlife and Beyond. Carol is a recipient of the Center for Women’s 2009 Unsung Heroine Award for recognition of her dedication to issues that affect women at Emory or in the larger community.
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