During a year, staffing companies hire 16 million temporary and contract employees. Temporary employees are hired for a limited period of time. Such employees may be hired on a contract, casual, part-time, or full-time basis, but the employment is temporary. For many, searching for a job consists of looking for full-time, permanent positions. However, a temporary assignment can offer many benefits. There is often a bias against temporary employment, but these assumptions lead many people to miss out on the benefits that temporary positions can provide.

Benefits of Temporary Work

Improve Your Resume

A temporary position can provide the opportunity to learn new skills or gain experience. If you are trying to change directions in your career, a temporary assignment can be the perfect opportunity to get your foot in the door. Temporary positions can be helpful for anyone trying to gain experience, new knowledge, or improve their skillsets. They can also connect you to permanent jobs and help you with industry networking.

A temporary position is also a great way to cover resume gaps. Long periods of unemployment can be discouraging to hiring managers. The quick hiring process of temporary jobs can help you avoid unnecessary resume gaps while looking for a permanent position. Instead of a period of unemployment, Taking a temporary or contract role, as opposed to a period of unemployment, shows commitment to your career.

Faster Hiring Process

Temporary positions are often coupled with a sense of urgency when it comes to the hiring process. Employers often need someone to fill the job quickly. If you are unemployed or looking to leave a position soon, the speed of the hiring process could match your needs. Furthermore, urgent employment needs can make hiring requirements more flexible and allow you to obtain a position that you may otherwise not be considered for.

Temporary-to-Permanent

A temporary position can help you enter a new industry or coveted company. Many companies hire temporary employees first for permanent positions to test if they are a good fit. If you join a company as a temporary employee, you could have the opportunity to prove that you are an asset and obtain a permanent position. Similarly, a temporary position gives you the chance to test out a job, employer, profession, or industry.

Keeps Things Interesting

Working temporary positions is an excellent opportunity for someone who finds themselves getting bored with jobs after a while. Having too many jobs can look bad on your resume, but temporary positions are a great way around this. You can indicate on your resume that a position was temporary, so future employers know you aren’t “job hopping.” Temporary roles will provide you with new, engaging, and dynamic work.

Financial Reward

In many cases, contract or temporary positions provide higher pay-scales than permanent roles. Taking a temporary assignment can lessen the burden of being out of work and provide financial security. On average, the annual pay for a temporary employee in the U.S. is $40,687 or approximately $19.56 an hour.

Source 

Flexibility & Work-Life Balance

For many, temporary work is a career choice. Many temporary positions are higher paying than permanent positions and provide more flexibility. Some thrive in dynamic environments exposing them to different jobs, while others enjoy a temporary position’s flexibility and level of work-life balance. Those who choose to make a career out of temporary positions can find it very lucrative and rewarding.

Is a Temporary Position Right for You?

Despite the negative assumptions some have against temporary positions, they provide many benefits for the employees that take them. While many don’t offer benefits like health care, a temporary position provides you with the opportunity to expand your skillsets, be considered for new jobs, have increased flexibility, and provide a competitive pay rate. Taking a temporary position can be a great chance if you are a recent graduate, changing industries or roles, or looking to improve your resume. While most people think of temporary positions as just that, temporary, you can make a career out of temp work or use it to leverage you to your dream career.