Job hunting can take longer than expected, and sending out résumés to random companies will yield few if any job interviews. In order to find work relatively quickly, students and people who are re-entering the workforce can choose temporary agencies. It's a good way to earn money and gain valuable experience without making a long-term commitment. There are attractive aspects about these agencies but they don't come without some big cons. Here are some positive and negative points about finding employment through temporary agencies.
Temporary Agencies Maintain Constant Contact with Companies
A candidate with specific skills can slide into a job easier than a person who is searching for work independently. Companies rarely advertise vacant positions and could be reluctant to hire full-time employees, so temporary agencies know exactly where to look. Being out of work can quickly drain a person's resources and temporary agencies, acting as middlemen between companies that need help and job hunters who need money, can save considerable time and effort.
Those who are new to the workforce benefit from the services of temporary agencies. Recent grads and students who have tuition bills to pay probably won't have a great deal of experience, and there are office positions that don't require a college degree. If a candidate can only work certain hours during the day or night, agencies work with their clients to accommodate those needs.
Temporary Positions Can Lead to Permanent Work
If a temporary worker is in the right place at the right time, does a good job and impresses the management of a company, a short-term assignment might turn into a full-time job. Temporary staffing agencies have positions that are temp-to-perm, which means that a candidate works at a company for a probationary period before moving on to full-time employment.
Being taken on permanently will be a positive outcome for the temporary worker, the agency and the company. The employee obviously wins, because companies often hire from within rather than looking for somebody else outside. The agency wins because they are paid directly by the company and may receive a bonus, and the company wins because they hire somebody who is known and trusted.
Temporary Agencies Don't Offer Benefits or Security
Apart from a paycheck, candidates who find work through temporary agencies won't be entitled to sick leave, 401k, health insurance or any other work-related benefits. That reason alone is enough to keep some people away from temporary agencies. The only way that could change is if the company decides to take the employee on as a permanent member of the staff.
One of the biggest problems temporary workers face is instability. A undesirable situation for candidates is accepting an assignment that's supposed to last several weeks or months, and then hearing that they're not needed after just a few days. The company can make a request for the temporary worker never to return. This can happen anytime for no apparent reason.
Temporary agencies can offer something rather than nothing, and that's the biggest advantage they have when the job market doesn't look very promising. Like any other job, a temporary work assignment will have its own rewards. It all depends on how positive a person is, and how much effort he or she is willing to put in. Knowing the negatives beforehand can allow job seekers to adjust their expectations.
References:
Shea, David. "The Pros and Cons of Working a Temp Job." Associated Content, October 21, 2009.
Joseph, Chris. "Temporary Agencies' Pros and Cons." ehow.com.
Neustatter, Tegan. "It's only temporary: the pros and cons of being a temp worker." collegenews.com, January 15, 2009.
Scott Hayden - Since joining Suite101 in early 2007, I've contributed articles about travel, history and health. My speciality is writing about workplace ...
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