Millions of Americans currently work in temporary and contract jobs. However, millions more have never even heard of them before or don’t know much about them. How much do you know about temporary work? If you’ve worked with a staffing agency before, probably know quite a lot about it. If you haven’t, and you’re curious, you might have a few questions in your mind right now. Hopefully, after reading this article, you will have some, or all, of those questions about temporary work answered.

© Daisy Daisy / Adobe Stock

How long is a temporary job assignment?

Temporary job assignments have a wide range of lengths. Some can range from several months to a year, which we call “long-term assignments.” On the other hand, some temporary jobs last only a day, a few days, or a week or two, which many call “short-term assignments.”

You can expect a temporary job to last between several weeks to a few months on average. However, this can vary greatly depending on the type of job, as well as the time of year. Seasonal jobs last for a few weeks or months during an industry’s highest period of activity. For example, retail companies use temporary workers during the November and December holiday season.

How flexible is temporary work?

Temporary work is about as flexible as jobs can get. They exist for all shifts, most industries, and all sorts of pay ranges. If you work with a staffing agency, you can have your pick among a wide variety of different jobs, on different shifts, in different industries. If you don’t like something, or need to find something with different hours, chances are that there’s something available for you.

What industries have temporary jobs?

Every industry may, at some time or another, have temporary openings available. However, some have more temporary openings more often than the rest. The industries that use temporary jobs the most are:

• Construction
• Warehousing
• Office/administration
• Food (servers, hosts, bartenders)
• Hospitality

Is there any potential for a permanent job with temporary work?

Yes, there is! There is always a possibility for a temporary job to turn permanent. If the company believes you would make a good fit on their permanent team, you may receive an offer. Many companies even use temporary positions called “temp-to-hire”. They use them with the intention of hiring someone permanently after a certain trial period. However, even with temp-to-hire jobs, there are no guarantees.

Do temporary jobs look bad on a resume?

Not on their own, no. If you can clearly demonstrate how your temporary work history has improved your skills as a worker, they can actually help your chances at getting a permanent offer. This is especially the case if your past temporary jobs have something to do with a full-time job you’re going after. However, your resume may need a bit of additional work on your part. Listing them randomly without a plan won’t do you any favors.

Now that we’ve had these questions about temporary work answered, are you interested in learning more? Contact us today to see how we can help you find a great temporary (or temp-to-hire) job!