10 Benefits of Temping - CareerAlley

10 Benefits of Temping - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. I had temping jobs also. I liked the flexibility. There was no asking for time off; you just didnt work. Todd Barry Temping may have been seen as a less attractive option than permanent work in the past, but the economic downturn of the last two years has re-shaped the job market landscape; while we continue to see growth in new jobs, companies are remaining cautious and temp jobs have started to overtake permanent roles in terms of popularity. We have found that while there are more jobs out there now than in recent months, there are also more people applying for these jobs. So, if youre struggling to find a permanent job or dont want to tie yourself down to one role for a long period of time, temping could be the answer. 1. Youre in control One of the biggest benefits of temporary jobs is flexibility. YOU are in control of your career and its far easier to take career breaks and fit your job around your life. Although not having a fixed job may be scary at first, its easy to become addicted to the freedom of doing temporary work when you want. 2. Learn new skills Different companies use different systems to get the job done, even if theyre doing the same work. For example,IT jobs have hundreds of different computer programmes to contend with,sales jobs utilise different databases and evencatering and hospitalityjobs andretail jobs have different ways of dealing with customers. By spending time temping across various roles you can learn new skills and see how different companies operate, making you far more employable and really enriching your CV. 3. Experience counts And that brings us on to experience. If you manage to work on a couple of contracts with respected companies, youll find it immediatelymakes your CV more impressive and could mean the difference between ending up on the Yes or No pile. 4. Network, network, then network some more Its not what you know, its who you know. Although not entirely true, there is something to be said for building up contacts. Whether its for references or meeting like-minded people who may be able to help you further down the line, temping can really lengthen your contacts book. 5. A foot in the door Some jobs are far more competitive than others. Following our totaljobs.com Barometer report into the jobs market, we found that each of ourcustomer services jobs was receiving an average of 41 applications. Ouch. And this was closely followed by secretarial jobs, retail jobs,transport jobs and catering jobs. If youre looking to break into these competitive industries then a temporary job could be a very important foot in the door. 6. All work and no play Temp work allows you to take more time out for yourself. And recent reports have shown that more UK workers than ever before are suffering with work-related stress. Happiness in a job has never been more important to us and a temp jobcan help you to gain perspective. 7. Youre still protected Its important to remember that as a temporary employeeyou still have rights and are entitled to benefits like sick pay, holiday allowance and regular pay. You are also expected to be given the same quality of working conditions as your permanent colleagues. 8. Im leaving on a jet plane If you want to experience a new culture then you can always think big and look to jobs outside of the UK. For example, if you have experience in engineering jobs or construction jobs thenMiddle East jobs may appeal for a change of pace. And the best thing is, if you change your mind its only a temporary position so you wont harm your career. 9. What now? Thinking of a career change later in life? Or are you a graduate or school leaver undecidedwhich career path to take? A temporary job can answer some important questions before you take the plunge. 10. Onwards and upwards Dont forget, if you are after something more permanent, many temporary jobs can lead to permanent positions, particularly if you prove yourself to be invaluable to the company. Never turn down a good temp role just because you want a permanent contract you never know where it might lead Article courtesy Total Jobs, a based job search board with over 93,000 jobs across more than 4,900 companies in the UK. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Joey Trebif