Not Your Mother’s Temp Job: Work for a Staffing Agency
Temporary job agencies, or staffing agencies, have gotten mixed to poor reviews historically. While opportunities like Kelly Girls were ok for young single women in the 1960s, these days they are sometimes considered a choice of last resort.
But they shouldn’t be. Temporary jobs have evolved tremendously over the last few years, especially since the recession has redefined the way companies staff their roles. As much as 42% of companies plan to use interim workers this year to help support their personnel needs. So what’s the upside of joining the more than 14 million temporary workers hired in the U.S. this year?
5 Reasons to Work for a Staffing Agency
- It could lead to something permanent. More and more staffing agencies offer temp-to-perm solutions, where potential employers can “try before they buy” through a temp agency. According to one report 36% of temporary and contract workers were eventually offered a permanent position.
- You can get benefits and other traditional employer support. In addition to certain rules of the Affordable Care Act that require employers to provide insurance for employees working at least 30 hours per week (and remember, temp work doesn’t necessarily mean part time work, so you may qualify), some companies simply choose to offer traditional benefits.
Some offer health insurance, paid public holidays, training programs and other benefits that are commensurate with a full-time position. So you could be giving up less than you thought if you work for a staffing agency.
- Temporary positions can develop marketable skill sets. While not all contract jobs lead to permanent positions, they can be a great way to get experience under your belt. Many employers are reluctant to take on someone permanently who has no experience and invest in full training.It can be much easier to get your foot in the door, even with just short-term employment that can develop a marketable skill for a subsequent opportunity.