Unless you have a huge trust fund bankrolling your everyday living expenses, it is almost certainly the case that the world of work beckons. Unfortunately, most of us need to work for a living to pay the rent, mortgage, and other bills. But working doesn’t necessarily mean looking for a full-time position. There are other options available. In this article, we are going to consider why it is sometimes better to look at temping rather than working full-time.
What is Temping?
Temping means taking temporary jobs, often as holiday or maternity cover. In most cases, these jobs are offered via a temp agency that specialises in providing short-term staff to cover shortages. For example, in the hospitality industry, temp jobs are very common. So, if you wanted to work as a waiter, you could check out Staff Heroes waiter jobs in your town or city. Instead of working for one restaurant or café long-term, you would have the opportunity to gain experience in a range of different establishments.
1. Varied Work Experience
For many people, temping is a great opportunity. As we have just mentioned, having the ability to work in a number of different workplaces gives you a wealth of experience to draw upon when you do finally decide to take a full-time job. Because you have tried many different jobs and interacted with lots of different people, you should have no problem handling whatever comes your way. For a potential employer, this is very attractive, as you can hit the ground running with minimal training.
2. Flexibility
Temping is very flexible. You can work as little or as often as you like. For example, if you need some extra cash, sign up for any job you are qualified to do, but if you decide you fancy going traveling for a month, tell the agency you are unavailable for a while. There is no way you would get away with this if you worked a full-time job. Not without being sacked.
3. You’ll Make Valuable Contacts
Temps meet so many people during the course of their working life that it is almost inevitable that you will make some valuable contacts along the way. The contacts you make could lead to new jobs, even full-time ones, so leverage them. If you are good at your job, it won’t be long before employers are asking for you when they have a temporary staff vacancy. This is a powerful position to be in, as you are in the driving seat.
4. You Can Try a Job Before You Commit
Have you a rose-tinted view of what it would be like to work in customer service? Work as a temp in this field and get a chance to find out. You may discover that working in customer service is not for you, but you may also find that you love dealing with customers. If you do hate it, at least you have found out now before you have committed to a full-time job. And if you love your new role, you have some valuable experience to take with you into a full-time job.
5. It’s Fun!
Don’t underestimate how much fun temping is. You parachute into a workplace, make new friends, have a baptism of fire, and then leave before you have to deal with the monotony of doing the job for months at a time. Many temps think this is the perfect role. They do all the fun bits without having to cope with the tedium.
If you do decide to try temping, remember that you have rights as a temporary employee. As long as you work via a reputable temp agency, you will get the roles you want and the working conditions you deserve.