If you’re in the job market, you may be seeing postings for temporary jobs and wondering if you should apply. To help you weight the benefits of these positions, we asked a panel of professionals—many of whom have had extensive experience working temp jobs. Here’s how they weighed in:
Barbara Nevers
Barbara Nevers is a mommy blogger and the founder of neolittle.com. She lives in Sherman Oaks, CA with her children and husband.
Make connections
One of the biggest benefits of working a temp job is the connections that you make. I did a lot of networking in my industry, and some of those connections paid off. After college, I worked three temp jobs for 6-8 months each. All three of my managers let me use them as references when I started applying for full-time jobs.
If I didn’t work those jobs, I’m not sure who my references would’ve been. Also, temp jobs give you the opportunity to learn valuable skills for your resume. College taught me a lot, but the only way to get real experience is to get in the mix. You’ve got to get out there and do it if you want to get good at it. So if you can’t find a full-time job in your desired industry, get a temp job. You’ll learn a lot and you can add a few lines to your resume. You’ll also be able to perform much better in a full-time role when you finally land one.
Amber Henning
Amber Henning is a marketing professional and the Chief Operating Officer at getsocialeyes.com. She has spent years on the hiring side of the table and loves to see employees find their strengths and grow in the business and marketing world.
Finding your passion
Temp jobs allow you the ability to test yourself in a variety of different industries and roles. If you are looking for an ultimate career path, utilizing temporary positions can help you find your passion and engage in an industry that really speaks to you.
In addition, while you look for more long-term positions down the road, having a history in temp work can be an asset to your resume. An employer can easily recognize marketable traits with employees who engage in temp work. Employers know right off the bat that employees who have done temp work are adaptable, able to learn new things quickly, and aren’t afraid of new situations. These traits are highly employable and looked at as assets for hiring managers looking for a new and dedicated employee that can grow into an important member of the team.
Shane Caalaman
Shane Caalaman is an Online Specialist at www.spiralytics.com, a digital marketing agency in the Philippines. When she’s not busy building links, she’s probably spending time with her fur babies.
Build your network
I’ve been freelancing since my college days and the greatest advantage of having temporary jobs is the opportunity to build my network and to actually practice my craft. During my university days, I freelanced as a production assistant and video editor for various events and projects.
Working with people from diverse ethnical, cultural, and work backgrounds is a perk you can only get from temporary/ freelance jobs. It can also be a ‘playground’ where you can explore and hone your skills. Sometimes, if you’re lucky enough, your temporary job can provide you with resources you can use for your other temporary jobs.
The advantages of it are endless. From recreational to economical, having temporary/ freelance/ side hustle (whatever you want to call it) jobs is an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.
Beverly Friedmann
Beverly Friedmann works as a Content Manager for the consumer website www.reviewingthis.com, with a background in Marketing/Sales Management and Business Development Direction.
Invaluable relationships
Besides some extra cash, temp jobs can help you find invaluable relationships and connections that may later serve as references for other jobs. We generally think about temp work as just that- temporary. But we often forget that the relationships we form while doing temp gigs can last for years to come.
As we take on each temporary assignment, we should do so as if it’s a job we’ll have for years because the connections we get out of such a job can be so important and can serve as mutually beneficial in a long-term sense.
Ethan Lichtenberg
Ethan Lichtenberg is a writer for Insurantly.com. He specializes in marketing and content writing. Ethan bartended on-and-off for a few years before beginning his career as a writer.
It gives you time
From an office receptionist to a bartender, having a temporary job has a lot of advantages. The most obvious is the extra cash you get while you look for a permanent career. Beyond cash is what you can learn from being patient. It takes time to find the career you want at a company that respects you. Temp-jobs can give you time. Time is the most valuable currency we have as humans. Temp-jobs create money for you, but still, allow you to have the time to find a true calling.
If you can find a temp-job in the field you may be looking to get into, that could be the best thing for you. Many temporary jobs lead to full-time jobs with benefits.
Building relationships is one of the most important parts of life. You’ve heard people say “it’s all about who you know.” That saying could not ring true enough. Temp-jobs can build relationships with people you never would have expected to meet.
Colleen DelVecchio
Owner, Coach, Strategist, Speaker
Colleen DelVecchio is a strategic, dynamic speaker and coach with a passion for empowering others to leverage their strengths, achieve their leadership potential, develop their professional capabilities, find the right career and navigate complex business environments. You can find here at colleendelvecchio.com
Help figure out what’s best for you
Every temp job gives you the opportunity to learn something new about yourself and the work environment that fits you best. When you begin a temp position, I’d encourage you to take a few minutes at the end of every day to reflect back on what you did. Which parts of the day flew by and which parts dragged? Did you end the day exhausted or energized?
On the days that flew by and left you energized, you were most likely working within your strengths, talents and skills. The days that dragged on and left you exhausted – these are probably the days where you struggled with your work and the environment you were in.
These are all clues to help you find something that is the right fit for you in the future. So pay attention and use your time at your temp position to help you figure out what is the best next job for you.
Jeremy Harrison
Jeremy Harrison has been a digital marketer for 5 years and is the founder of Hustle Life which helps budding entrepreneurs find their perfect side hustle. He is a founder of hustlelife.net.
Gain experience
A temporary job provides an easy escape from the cyclical routine that comes with most jobs. As good as routine can be in some circumstances, it can be a torment for people with a low attention span. Temporary jobs have been my escape from the killing work routine.
Also, temporary jobs have allowed me to channel my productivity in different directions, leading to the discovery of inherent abilities I had never taken note of.
Another advantage of getting a temporary job is experience. Temporary jobs have often allowed me to gain work experience. Though the jobs are not always related to my field, the skills I acquired during that time have often proved to be highly [beneficial] when working a full-time job or running a personal business.
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