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Temping and Part Time Jobs

Examining Temporary Work Options and Recruitment Agencies

© Philip Copple

Those unsure of their future career could try joining a recruitment agency for some temporary work.These agencies also provide more permanent work for those who wish.

For students on holiday, workers with irregular hours, or teenagers taking a gap year before university, temping can be a perfect fit. Flexible working hours and a variety of working environments allow the temps to experience a range of different jobs, letting them learn new skills and perhaps influencing future careers.

Without having to make long-term commitments the worker can earn a bit of money and gain valuable working experience. With their ability to provide temporary workers for as little as four hours, the agencies can help clients deal with short-lived emergency situations. However, both those seeking permanent employment and those wishing for permanent staff can be helped as well, as the majority of recruitment agencies also cater for longer employment opportunities.

Part Time Jobs

Potential workers who are unwilling or unable to work Monday to Friday 9-5 can still find employment through recruitment agencies. Agencies such as Berry Recruitment can find temporary workers jobs of only a few hours a week, allowing them to do as much or as little work as they desire.

Another benefit of finding a part time job through a recruitment agency is the variety the agency can offer, which can provide applicants with a sizable amount of weekly hours whilst not forcing them into the constraints of a single job. Should the different part time jobs be diverse enough, the employee would also learn a range of different skills and so be more qualified, and more experienced, for a future career.

Temporary Jobs

Holidays are often worrying times for small companies as they can lose employees without adequate replacements. However, students can prove the antidote to this as they return home in time for more seasoned workers to leave. They are also a good source of cheap labour at busier times of the year such as Christmas.

Temping is also useful for freelance workers, whatever the field they’re in. Whilst not usually reflecting their best attributes, employees can work for a few days and so earn enough money to pay the bills without committing themselves to anything more serious. This is one of the finer facets of temping, the ability to start and stop work with so little notice.

Working Relationships

The importance of building up a strong relationship with a recruitment agency cannot be overstated, whether for a temporary worker or for an employer. Throughout business, long-term relationships with a trusted client prove more fruitful than with newcomers, and the world of temping does not differ. A temp worker who develops a reputation with his recruitment agency for hard-work and reliability will be chosen over a less experienced peer; likewise a company which the recruitment agency knows and trusts will get prioritised should there be a shortage of workers.

The Trouble With Temping

The world of temporary work may seem like an easy way to make money, but it can be challenging and difficult. Running the same risk as many freelancers, temporary workers can find themselves out of pocket should their supply outstrip demand, leaving the agencies helpless to employ so many applicants.

Furthermore, although seldom mentally exhausting, temporary work can often prove physically demanding, with warehouse work one of the more common destinations for temps. Should an injury occur, neither the agency nor the company has any obligation to look after the crippled worker and so he is left without work until healed. Also, those who sign up with a recruitment agency solely for part time work can find themselves with a poorer reputation then a worker who puts in more hours.

Recruitment Agencies - Summary

Whilst temp jobs may not be the right fit for many potential workers, especially those attempting to kick-start a career, they can serve to provide a quick source of income for those without experience or other skills.

The easiest way to find either a part time job or some temporary work is through a recruitment agency, as one would hold the necessary expertise and experience to avoid wasting time, as well as the knowledge of how to protect the employee.

Employment agencies can also be useful to companies searching for extra cover for busy or holiday periods, as part time or short-lived workers can be signed up for less expense.

The more common temp jobs involve warehouse and catering work, less mentally challenging and involving less skill.

While useful for quick income, temporary work is inadvisable to live off for long as there is never a steady stream of work.

The world of employment can be a minefield for a naïve student to try to survive, and recruitment agencies can serve to educate and guide into a more experienced and financially healthier worker.


The copyright of the article Temping and Part Time Jobs in Career Advice is owned by Philip Copple. Permission to republish Temping and Part Time Jobs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.





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