Facing graduation without a job? Looking to make money during summer break? Want flexible work hours to fit your class schedule? A temp job might be the answer.
A Wide Array of Opportunities
According to recent studies, 90 percent of companies now use temporary help. "The opportunities abound in really every area," says Tim Brogan, spokesperson for the American Staffing Association (ASA), a membership organization with 1,600 staffing firms that operate more than 13,000 branches nationwide. According to the ASA, nearly half of the country's temps work in traditional office or clerical positions. The next largest group works in the industrial segment. The fastest growth is happening in professional and technical occupations.
The Value of Temping
What used to be simply a stop-gap job is becoming a more popular option for employment. Temping has some tempting benefits - especially for students or recent grads.
Flexibility
"Flexibility is really the hallmark of temporary work," Brogan says. "As a temporary employee, you basically decide when, where and how you want to work." If you want a summer job, but also want some summer fun, you could work just three days a week or maybe five half-days.
Experience
"Temping is great for students who want to gain some skills," Brogan says. Not only can you gain on-the-job skills, but you can also participate in free training courses that most staffing firms offer. Courses run the gamut from basic software skills to sophisticated computer programming. "Students can enhance their skills and make themselves more marketable, while the staffing firm gets a more highly skilled employee to meet their clients' needs," Brogan says.
