Using Temporary Work to your Advantage as a Jobseeker

Guides, Jobseeker, Jobseekers / 24 August 2021

Temporary work – or temping – has often been looked down on as a second-rate alternative to permanent employment, but as employers become increasingly aware of the advantages of offering a variety of work opportunities, is temping still a lesser option?

Whether you’re a graduate, returning to work after time off to care for a family member or a period of ill-health, or facing redundancy, temporary work can offer a wide range of benefits to jobseekers.

Using Temporary Work to your Advantage as a Jobseeker

Flexibility

Temporary works offers a flexibility not available to permanent workers. That flexibility includes:

choosing when you work
choosing where you work
choosing what work you take on

So whether you want to have school holidays off to avoid childcare expenses, are keen to work locally when there are no permanent employment opportunities in your home town, or want to develop a particular skillset, temporary work can offer that flexibility.

And of course, that flexibility allows you to also take time off for interviews.

Financial support for now

There’s no denying the fact that looking for a permanent job can be costly. Once you’ve factored in:

travelling to interviews
maybe buying a tablet for video calls with prospective employers
buying clothes that demonstrate your professionalism and suitability for a vacancy

and all the other extras involved in finding a new job, you may find yourself somewhat out of pocket.

Temporary work, while not your intended future path, can provide a source of income until you land that permanent job.

Temporary workers are protected

Temporary workers are protected just as much as permanent workers. Whether you are employed through an agency to work as a temp or on a temporary contract direct with an employer, you still have a number of employee rights.

For instance,

you have a right to receive minimum pay
under working time regulations, you must not work over an average of 48 hours each week, with the exception of a handful of occupations such as domestic servant, sea-fisher, or the police
if you work in the same temporary role continuously for more than 12 weeks, you become eligible to the same terms and conditions as a permanent employee of the company

The HMRC offer full details here

Work experience

This can be an especially pertinent advantage for first-job seekers like graduates and school-leavers. How can you land a job that you have no experience for?

Temporary work can provide you with experience in a role, for instance, salesperson or PA, a business area, such as HR, or an industry, like transport or healthcare.

Equally, where you decide to switch careers, for instance, from retail to secretarial, temporary work can provide the work experience you need to apply for a permanent position on your new career path.

Fill up your CV

Temporary work can benefit your CV in several ways:

If the work experience section of your CV is on the sparse side – maybe because you are looking for your first job – temping work can be used to populate your work history.
The filling of gaps before or between permanent employment with temping work demonstrates that you were proactive in seeking work experience.
Temporary work can build your work experience and skills just as well as permanent employment.

If you feel that an employer may dismiss temporary work experience as lesser than permanent employment, steer them away from this by building a profile section that demonstrates your suitability as a candidate and by listing your skills before the job history section.

Don’t forget to tailor your profile and skills to suit the job.

A foot in the right door

Temporary work can provide an excellent opportunity to get your foot in the door of your ideal employer.

Many companies will provide temporary work roles with the intention to offer permanent employment to those individuals who perform well and are a good fit. Some of these roles will be advertised as ‘temp to perm’, while others will not. However, the best employers will always be on the look-out for workers who can add value to the organisation.

Working for a company on a temporary basis may well lead to a permanent job if you take the opportunity to not only work well but also demonstrate your suitability. Do your research into the role, the company, and the industry. Make business connections with permanent colleagues. Be enthusiastic. Show your worth.

Wrapping it up

Temporary work can offer many benefits to jobseekers, whether as a financial bridge between jobs, a way to populate your CV as you look for your first job, or as a means to a more flexible work-life balance.

If you’re interested in temporary work, JobLookup has a wide range of opportunities advertised.

Begin your search today.