Seven ways temping can give your career a boost
Temporary workers are an important part of any business. As companies grow, these positions help employers to fill positions flexibly, plugging skill gaps and bringing in specialist expertise. For candidates, this is also a fantastic opportunity to carve out your career path by taking advantage of what each organisation has to offer. We’ve put together seven reasons why a temporary role could be exactly what you’re looking for.
Flexibility
We all need jobs that fit around our lifestyles. If you’re hoping to get back into education, spend more quality time with your family, or even volunteer for a charity, temporary work can give you this flexibility. Being in control of your work-life balance will enable you to enjoy life at home and in the office. With temporary roles, you won’t necessarily need to worry about booking annual leave and you can have more control over exactly when you work.
Testing the waters
Whether you’re looking for an entirely new career or you’re just starting in out in your first job – perhaps after finishing education – temping is a chance to trial something different and work out if it’s right for you. You’ll have the chance to trial the sector you’re working in, your role and responsibilities, as well as what it’s like to spend time with colleagues and managers. And if you decide that it’s not quite right for you? At the end of your temporary booking, you’ll simply be able to move on to a role that’s a better fit.
Expanding your skillset
In any job, you’ll pick up transferable skills which will be valuable in any sector. However, with each new company you work with, you’ll begin to learn more technical skills too. Excellent time management, customer service and communication skills will be required for any job, but knowledge of sector-specific computer programmes or online tools could set you apart from the competition.
A confidence boost
Testing yourself in a variety of different roles will only improve your professional confidence – invariably leading to a more convincing performance during job interviews. Taking a temporary role is a great way to build your belief in yourself, enabling you to identify your strongest areas, and the ways in which you could improve. When it comes to selecting your next role, see if there’s any training you could take part in to boost your chances of success.
Networking
Nobody said networking was easy but temping will give you access to a wide range of contacts. Keeping in touch with the people you work with could be the key to finding out about similar opportunities further down the line. On the flip side, remember to ask them for references or testimonials to aid you in finding your next role too. Make an effort to connect with former colleagues on LinkedIn and meet up with them at relevant networking events, rather than losing contact entirely.
Regular income
Many temporary roles will offer weekly or fortnightly pay, which can be beneficial for someone who wants a steadier income stream. You may receive a higher salary than you would for a permanent role too, which could allow you to take more time off – without the added pressure of aligning your annual leave requests with the rest of your team.
A stepping stone
One of the most common reasons why talented candidates don’t receive job offers is a lack of demonstrable experience. At entry-level, it can be hard to find these kinds of opportunities. So, even if your aim is to secure a permanent role, getting a foot in the door and proving that you’re compatible with the rest of the team could lead to a more long-term placement or job offer.
Over the last 20 years, we have grown as a business to become one of the leading independent Recruitment agencies in Oxfordshire, and in 2018 we opened our first London office, to service Clients and Candidates in the capital.
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