Benefits of Taking Temporary Jobs

Oct 12, 2021

Many job seekers shy away from temporary work. They either fear that it will affect their track record of long-term positions, or they view temporary jobs as low-end labor that won’t align with their chosen field. So what is the benefit of taking temporary jobs?

Temporary Jobs Help New Employees Get Started.

If you are just starting off in the working world, temporary jobs allow you to gain work experience and learn basic work skills, like communication, time management and teamwork. Depending on the temporary job, you will be able to gain skills you may never have had the opportunity to gain through a traditional job. This can be a great way to explore different trades to help you figure out where you want to go.

Along the same lines, if you are looking for a career change, temporary work can help you gain practical work experience and build the skills necessary to open the door to another industry. This early experience gives you specific examples of your work to discuss in interviews and more confidence when talking about the skills and talents you bring to the job.

Temporary Jobs Help Gain Freedom and Flexibility.

Not everyone is looking for full-time, permanent work. Students, retirees, or someone between careers may not be able to commit to a long-term job. Temporary jobs can vary in duration, location, hours, days off, etc., allowing you to arrange your work schedule to reflect when and where you want to work. Since businesses always need temporary help, you can easily have steady work as a temp employee if that is what you want. Temporary employment typically attracts individuals who are drawn to the freedom and independence it offers, allowing job seekers to piece together their professional life in a manner that best suits them.

Temporary Jobs Are Available in Every Field.

Not all temporary work involves wrapping gifts at the holidays or working events during Mardi Gras. Temporary work is available in every field. Finding a temporary position in your specific career path gives you specific career experience. Staffing firms, like Lofton Staffing, have access to a wide array of jobs that are not available through traditional job searches. Additionally, staffing firms have well-established connections with many employers and specialize in filling temporary and long-term job openings. Working with a staffing firm, like Lofton Staffing, will dramatically expand the number of contract jobs that are available to you, far beyond what you could find through your own efforts.

Temporary Jobs Sharpen Your Skills.

Temporary jobs allow the flexibility to choose positions that will help sharpen lost skills. Perhaps you have warehouse experience, but never had the opportunity to learn the logistics side of it. Choosing a temporary job in shipping & receiving, for example, would give you the opportunity to sharpen that aspect of your career. Similarly, a temporary administrative position could serve to sharpen your Microsoft Office skills. Even if a temporary job does not align perfectly with your career goals, you will be able to sharpen transferable skills, like teamwork, communication, and time management.

Temporary Jobs Expand Your Professional Network.

Every co-worker and supervisor you meet on the job becomes a member of your professional network and a potential ally on your next job search. It also allows you to get your foot in the door with the company. Working a temporary position in that company puts yourself as the best candidate for a full-time position when it arises. According to statistics published by the American Staffing Association (ASA), over one-third (35%) of contract (temporary) employees are offered permanent positions by employers that they work for on contract. Even if a temporary engagement does not lead to a permanent position, the experience you gain can help you land a long-term position in another company. At the very least, contract work allows you to gain work experience in your chosen field.

Temporary Jobs Help Boost Your Resume.

Employers are cautious about hiring people with long periods of unemployment on their resumes. Temporary positions allow you to fill holes in your resume with job titles while you are between permanent jobs. Additionally, working as a contract employee shows hiring managers that you take your career seriously, and that you are willing to do what is necessary to keep your skills sharp and improve yourself while you look for a permanent job.

Temporary Jobs Allow You to Focus on the Work. 

As a contract (temporary) worker, you are better able to stay out of any office entanglements at your place of employment. Instead, you can focus on the work. Most companies hire staffing firms to fill positions when their production is up, so there is little time to dwell on office politics. This allows temporary workers the ability to focus on the task at hand and gain those transferable skills with the added benefit of avoiding the office drama.

Businesses of all types and sizes partner with staffing firms, like Lofton Staffing Services, to increase workforce flexibility and gain access to more talent. They also work to help employers and employees connect with each other more easily. If freedom and flexibility in your professional life, new experiences, new career insights, and improved professional agility sound appealing, then contract employment may be the career move you need.