The concept of temp work is nothing new, but what is new is the significant increase in temp workers in recent years. Why the increase?

Temp employment and hiring temp workers isn’t always the right solution, but when it is, it can be significantly beneficial to both the employer and employee and not just for the typical millennial workers, contract c-suite needs are on the rise as well for mission critical situations. Here’s why:

Benefits to Employer:

• The opportunity to try before you buy: Looking to hire someone for the long term or have a new role and you’re not sure how it fits into the organization long term? Been burned by a former employee in a role? Hiring on a temp basis allows hiring managers an opportunity to ensure they are hiring the best matched candidate for a position without any risk. It also gives an employer the chance to test out whether a role is truly needed permanently. Once decided it’s a fit, both the employer and employee have had time working together to help increase the chance of a long-term hire.

• Get the help you need fast: Companies who may have immediate hiring needs, but can’t afford to wait to go through an in-depth interview process, turn to agencies like Landing Point to hire temp workers to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. For true perm roles, it’s ideal to not cut corners in the interview process; however, in the meantime getting a temp in who can handle the basics and keep the position afloat can be a great solution.
• Flexibility: Hiring temp workers allows companies to scale up and down their workforce depending on seasonality or business needs without the costs and process of onboarding and offboarding.
• Ability to focus on core business: Having a VP of Strategy spend time on a low-level data entry project isn’t time and resources well spent – when there is a one-time project, but not an ongoing need for someone with a specific skill set, it’s more effective to be able to hire a skilled temp worker to focus on and complete the project, that way permanent employees can do what they do best.
• Minimal risk: When hiring a temp through an agency, like Landing Point, all administrative costs for payroll, benefits, and the manpower of managing the candidate falls on the agency meaning the employer has no risk and no financial implications if the candidate does not work out. Making a wrong permanent hire can cost a company about 30% of the candidate’s first years earnings in addition to a blow to the company culture and morale. Why take that chance when you don’t have to?

Benefits to Employee:

The benefits to the employer ring true for employees as well such as being able to try the company before committing, access to immediate work, and an easier exit if proven not a fit. Below are some additional benefits to taking on a temp gig for employees:

• If changing careers, temping provides an opportunity to test a new path and gain experience: Changing careers can be scary and risky, yet temp roles can offer the opportunity to gain hands on experience with brand named companies providing insight on whether it’s a fit. Taking a temp job while in a perm role is not necessarily recommended (unless there is truly nothing to lose). However, if you are not working or if you are able to take on a part-time temp role in addition to your perm job, it can be the perfect solution to satisfy your curiosity.
• Keep skills fresh and bridge resume gaps: If you are not working and on the job hunt, your days will be better spent keeping your job skills fresh, versus your job hunting skills fresh. In addition to reaching out to your networks and responding to job ads, keep your mind engaged and that resume tight by putting your skills to work. However, if your goal is to land a permanent role, ensure you take on a temp gig that will allow for you to take time to interview or isn’t too long of a commitment that it could impede on taking a perm role.  Most employers will allow their temporary hires flexibility for full time interviews if that flexibility isn’t abused.
• Get a great brand name on your resume: There are reputable brand-named companies that hire solely on a temp basis to start including places like Google and Facebook as well as others in the financial services world. If you are dying to get into one of these top brand-named companies, consider opening your search to temp opportunities. This could be your foot in the door or at the very least be a resume builder.
• Potential to go perm: Temping can lead to a perm role – one third of temps are offered perm work and two thirds of temps accept the job so there is a strong chance of going perm if that is the intention. On the flip side, as mentioned earlier, this can also be an opportunity to try before you buy. Temp to perm opportunities give you a chance to test out the job, company, and people to ensure the job and company are a match. Typical temp to perm conversion time frames are about 3 months.
• Build your network: Temping at various companies or even just one can further help build your network. Getting out there and demonstrating your skills through temp jobs can provide an opportunity to interact with people in an environment where it’s easy to strike up a conversation. You never know who you will meet.  In addition, a temp assignment could provide you with a new reference of someone who can speak highly of you and your performance on the job.
• Make extra money: If you are in between jobs and are looking to pick up some extra cash, temping can not only offer an opportunity to make money, but a way to make meaningful money. Instead of signing up for a retail gig, take on a temp role that is relevant to your field of work. Temping can be quite lucrative, especially if the position calls for overtime hours (working more than 40 hours per week) where you can make time and a half.

One note of caution for job seeking candidates taking on temp jobs is that if you truly are seeking a permanent position, we don’t recommend taking multiple temp roles back to back. A resume full of short term jobs may indicate to a recruiter that you have not been able to land a perm job. However, if you are intending to live a freelancer lifestyle, looking to get a brand name on your resume, or do a bit of exploration then there is no problem taking on temp jobs. Keep your intentions in mind and the story you want to tell and act accordingly.

The Point: The temp market allows for employers and employees to benefit given the right conditions and intentions. Interested in hiring temps, or interested in temp work? Email us at [email protected].