So, you’re looking for a job, but not just any job – THE JOB. You’ve sent out countless resumes, possibly gone on a few interviews, and now as a lot of people are, you’re starting to feel discouraged. Search for a job in this economy has proven to be really challenging!
A job search is never anything but a challenge for most people. It really is like starting a new relationship, full of ups and downs, first and last dates (or interviews), full of potential, but also disappointment. And as in dating, your friends and family may say… keep your options open, don’t limit yourself to that ’set’ idea.
As in dating, job seeking requires a bit of openness to explore all options. What about temp? Temp? Yes, temporary work. As you work this around in your mind, you may think, who wants ‘temporary’ work, its not long lasting, definitely not fulfilling, and NOT permanent! Or could it be?
Today’s workforce requires job seekers to be flexible out there. I know this isn’t always easy but don’t discount the temporary position. At times temporary opportunities can offer a broader range of options than perm. Companies are still a little unsure as to what curve ball the economy may throw at them next, and although they may want to hire, they see temporary staffing as a way for them to gauge what their business can handle.
This can also be a great opportunity for you. You may have just spent the last 5 or so years in a company you really didn’t like, working for bosses’ you may not have admired, or doing tasks that really didn’t suit your abilities. Temporary positions can offer you a chance to ‘try on’ that new company, ‘check out’ that new boss or even ‘test out’ those new or under-used skills, without the automatic commitment of a perm position. And best of all, even though it may be called ‘temporary’, this isn’t always the case.
Some of the best placements we’ve had are the ones that have started out as a temporary assignments. We often get calls later on from these ‘temp’ placements, thanking us for placing them in such great opportunities, most having grown in their careers and now in more senior roles.
So as you continue your job search, keep your options open as you never know what disguise that great opportunity might take on when presenting itself.
Good luck!
Follow me on Twitter @andrea_duggan
