Should I Temp?

Anyone job-searching these days is almost bound to hear these words (usually from a recruiter): "Would you consider a temp assignment?"

It used to be that a temp was the receptionist who staffed the front desk for a few days when the regular receptionist was sick. These days, temp jobs run the full gamut, all the way up to the top of the company. There's even an East Bay recruiter called CFOs-to-Go! Temp jobs can range from one or two day quickies up to full-blown contract assignments of a year or more. Companies employ temps at all levels and for all kinds of reasons, ranging from short-term staffing needs to screening for potential new employees.

So, should you temp? As always, there are a number of pros and cons, and how they balance out has everything to do with your own unique situation. First, let's look at the reasons you might consider temping:

(1): Network Building.

If you're new in town, or if your existing network has already been exhausted, temping is a great way to add new people to your network - people who know how good you are at what you do, and who will be happy to refer you to other folks they know. For new arrivals, temping is also a great way to scope out a new job market and line up some local references for when you're ready to start looking for the "real" job.

(2): An Antidote for the Job-Search Blahs.

Job-searches can drag on, especially if you're looking for a very special job and won't settle for the ordinary. The succession of disappointments and rejections can wear you down, and there's a danger of becoming dispirited and de-motivated. A short stint of temping can remind you just how good you are at what you do - it can restore your self-confidence and re-invigorate your search.

(3): A Quick Lesson in Corporate Cultures.

Someone who's been with a company for a long time is used to working in a single corporate culture and can forget that there are many different types of cultures out there. The variety can be overwhelming, and it's hard to know what type of culture you will best succeed in. Working a series of temp assignments in a bunch of different companies will give you a chance to try out different cultures to see which ones fit.

(4): Resume Building:

We once worked with a Controller out of a decidedly non-tech company. She wanted to break into the world of high tech, but couldn't convince anyone to even look at her resume. She eventually broke this impasse by taking the temp assignment from hell, a six month stint with a high profile tech company that had an egomaniac CEO and was sinking fast. She survived the six months and acquitted herself honorably, even though the company tanked. And even with only six months of tech experience under her belt, she now had the tech credentials she needed to move into the industry. Sometimes, a temp assignment can strengthen your resume in areas where it's weak. Maybe you'll get to learn a new technology, or get exposed to business methods that can help you move to the next level in your career.

(5): A Way to Get Into a Company.

Temp assignments often convert into regular jobs. The company realizes that the short-term need is actually a long-term one - and who better to do the job than the person who's already mastered it? You may hear the term "temp-to-perm" or "temp-to-hire" used to describe a temp assignment. Though there are no guarantees, the recruiter is telling you that if things work out, there's a good chance you could end up being hired. For many companies, in fact, this is the preferred method of recruiting new employees. They get to take a good look at you before they commit to hiring you and take on all the potential legal exposures that come with that commitment. Of course, by the same token, you get to take a good look at them also and decide if this is the company for you. If things work out, great! If they don't, well, no muss, no fuss, it was only a temp job!

(6): And, Last and By No Means Least - Money!

Temp assignments can help you get through a short-term cash crunch. While temp jobs often don't pay as much as regular jobs (usually because the recruiter takes a cut), some contract positions, especially tech ones, pay very well indeed. Some temp agencies even provide healthcare benefits if you work more than a certain number of hours for them.

(1) Distraction.

Temping can dilute your focus on getting a more permanent job. It can interfere with your job-search, both in terms of time and energy. If the position is strictly a temp one, make it plain that you are still looking for a real job, and that the job search takes priority. You should negotiate in advance for time off to take interviews. If the company is unwilling to provide it, walk away.

(2) Exploitation.

Beware the permanent temp syndrome! Watch out for companies that regard temps as a pool of underpaid workers with no benefits and even less rights. One of our candidates accepted a temp assignment with a well-regarded South Bay company. The position was touted as "temp-to-hire" by both the recruiter and the company. It paid less than the candidate was looking for - but was with a company "everyone wants to work for." Many months into the assignment and still no word of when it would convert to a regular hire. Every month, our candidate asked his boss when the position would convert, and every month he got the same "I'm working on it - hope to get funding next month" response. After nine months of this carrot dangling by the company, our candidate issued a "put up or shut up" ultimatum that put an end to the slow torture - and he re-commenced his job search. If the temp position is offered as "temp-to-hire" opportunity, be sure to ask why, when, who and how: Why is the job temp now? When will the decision be made to fill it permanently? Who will make that determination? How will the decision be made (i.e. what are the criteria that will be used to make it)? If you can't get clear answers to these questions, don't have any illusions about this becoming a "real" job!

(3) Dislocation.

This is the flip-side of item (3) in the pros column above. However progressive an organization may be, a temp is always on the outside looking in. This can have its upside - you're also outside all the politics and petty squabbles - but it can be alienating, especially for folks for whom work provides an important social focus. It can be hard to make real friends and any relationships that you do build will lack the depth that comes from working with people for years. If affiliation with those you work with is a key value for you, temping will be a very short-term strategy in your job search. Similarly, if it's important to you to see the full life-cycle of a project, you may find it very hard to hand your baby over to someone else and walk away when the temp assignment ends.

In conclusion:

Temping can be a lot of fun. It can expand your knowledge of the work world, introduce you to new people and new companies, and even provide a paycheck! It's important, however, to make the temp assignment part of your job search strategy, and not just wander into it (or be pressured into it) heedlessly.

Don't take anything on faith - ask probing questions about your ability to keep on looking, or just how "temp-to-hire" the job really is. Above all, be honest with yourself about your emotional needs at work - security vs. challenge, constantly meeting new people vs. making long-lasting friendships, learning new things vs. seeing a project through to the end, and so forth.

We would certainly encourage you to try temping if it's offered - like several of our candidates over the years, you may even find that temping can become a rewarding career in itself.