We’ve been noticing a lot of persistent myths and stigma’s around the word ‘Temp’.  Time to set the record straight we thought!

In fact in recent times the word ‘Temp’ has evolved to encompass a larger group of people, skills and remuneration options. Over the next few issues of Temp Juice, we’re going to set the record straight on a few of the inaccuracies that exist…starting with:

Myth: Temping is low level work...

Busted: Our Temps are skilled workers often performing very technical work. These days our clients are demanding an array of skills and we’re filling these roles with savvy and sophisticated individuals who often outperform the employees inside the organisation.

It doesn’t mean that you need to be university qualified for Temping, but equally you shouldn’t discount Temping if you do have a higher level of skills.

From qualified accountants, recruiters, marketers, PA’s, EA’s, receptionists, administrators – we place the lot these days plus a host of other positions.

These days – if you do choose Temping as a career option, rest assured, not only are you highly respected for your flexibility, you’re in good company!

N.B.  If you need any further clarification about what classifies an employed Temp or self-employed Contractor, please CLICK HERE to download a PDF from the IRD website.

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Myth: Working as a temp will hurt your chances of finding a permanent position...

Busted: These days the benefits of temping are numerous and include:

• Temping exposes you to a range of environments
• Picking up some new skills if you want to.
• Gaining a positive referee for every assignment you complete
• Making valuable contacts at every assignment to help you secure permanent work

Many organizations are cautious about hiring a full time employee prematurely, so may opt to use temps to ‘test’ a position first to assess workflows alongside market conditions and business profitability. As a result, it’s very common for temps to be offered full-time positions if they excel at their temp assignments and display a positive and eager attitude. If you have the right attitude and mind set, temping will help you land a permanent role.

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Myth: Temporary work is short term and low paying.

 

Busted: Some assignments last for a couple of days, while others can go on for over a year! Typically temping work reaches a maximum of $60k pa, so not all assignments are necessarily “low paying”. There is no pressure for you to accept an assignment if you feel the pay is too low or the assignment is too short in duration. We understand that the assignments you accept have to fit with your lifestyle and preferences, and would like to work with you to find the right fit. The best thing to do is to discuss your preferences for pay and duration of assignment with your consultant so that they know what to look out for.

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Myth: Temping is always short-term

Busted: Some of our temps have been on assignment continuously for over a year.  Additional to this, it’s not uncommon for companies to use a temp to ‘trial’ a position before making an offer of full-time employment.  If you do an outstanding job they may realize they can’t live without you and ask for you back!