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Don’t Be Afraid to Take a Temp Job

You’re looking for work, but so far, you’ve avoided any job description or recruiter post that has the words “temporary” or “temp-to-hire” in the text. And you haven’t yet sought out a recruiting agency that can pair you with a position since you assume these pairings won’t involve permanent roles. Here are a few reasons to reconsider your approach. Temporary jobs may not be what you think, and contract or temporary placements aren’t what they were a generation ago. It’s time to take a closer look.

Say goodbye to the typing pool.

You may be held back by an outdated vision of what “temp” jobs really are. Yes, some of these roles may be short-term clerical positions that will have you in and out the door, filing forms for a week and then leaving you back at square one. But most of them are professional positions (programmers, software developers, designers, implementors, market strategists and financial analysts) in which you’ll be carefully reviewed by an employer with eyes toward a long-term relationship. Temps are not just placeholders; they’re candidates for permanent roles.

Don’t be afraid.

Some job seekers avoid temp opportunities because they don’t want to lose control of their career paths. They fear that signing a temporary contract will derail their search, cause them to miss other opportunities and require hard work that leads to a dead end. First, no role is a dead end. A six-month contract role is the best possible networking opportunity, even if it doesn’t lead to a full-time job. And the role WILL likely lead to a full-time job if you like the workplace and develop a productive relationship with your employer.

Stability comes from agility.

Here’s another outdated idea: Long-term roles are stable, unshakable paths that lead straight to comfort, security, complacency and a well-funded retirement. The reality: no job is permanent. Nothing is guaranteed forever, and in 2019, the strongest form of stability doesn’t come from a job with the word “full-time” in the description; it comes from staying light on your feet, ready for change and secure in your own skills and adaptability. Modern-day job security isn’t like a building with a deep foundation. It’s more like a boat at sea, well-built, buoyant and ready to roll with the waves.

Move forward, don’t stand still.

Before you pass up a temporary role and hold out for something long term, consider the opportunity costs that come from staying on the market for another few weeks or months. Will your eventual salary be high enough to cover that lost time? Maybe. But you’ll likely be better off if you start working as soon as possible and make real-time decisions and direction changes as you move forward. Temp jobs provide options, opportunities, new skills and new professional connections. But they also provide something even more valuable: a paycheck. Contact the staffing team at PSU to learn more.

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