The Ultimate Temping Guide for Beginners
Temping is a super way to get out working quickly and enhance your skills and experience. If you find yourself with a gap in employment and are wanting to try out a new industry, earn some money and build on your network, temping can be a brilliant way to do so.
When looking for a temporary role, you will need to register with the right temp agency, which will have a number of potential roles available. In this article, we look at what is a temp job, how temp agencies work and when to pursue a temp job. If you are thinking this could be a potential opportunity for you, please read on!
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What Is Temp Work?
Temporary work is a short period of employment where you are not on a contract, so there is a lot of flexibility for both the candidate temping and the company using your temp services.
Temping can cover all sorts of industries and job titles, but generally, a temp is needed to:
Fill an empty vacancy; this could be a gap in employment between someone leaving and a new person joining a firm or to cover for holiday or sickness.
Assist with an overflow of work or a specific project
Bring a special set of skills into an organization if new ideas are needed.
Temp Jobs vs Part-time Jobs
Temping roles tend to be for a short period of time to cover for a period of absence from an existing employee. How long a temp job will last varies depending on the situation. You are usually employed via a temp agency, and no notice is required should you or the client need to end the assignment.
Part-time jobs can be long-term but are for a reduced period of hours or specific days a week. If you are employed part-time as a permanent employee, you will be employed via the company you work at and subject to all their benefits, including annual leave and a notice period.
What Is A Temp Agency?
A temp agency is a recruitment company that provides temporary workers for their clients. Usually, the temp candidate will be employed through the agency rather than the company they work at, and the agency will process payroll for you. A temp agency will have a number of temp workers available to work at short notice, at different levels, to ensure they have options for their clients as and when they are needed.
When you register with a recruitment agency, your consultant should take time to get to know you, discuss your previous experience and understand your skillset. Then, when a suitable opportunity arises, they will contact you to explain the details.
Top tip: Most temp roles are time sensitive, so do keep your phone close by!
How Do Temp Agencies Work?
Temp agencies specialize in providing short-term staff to their clients. There are agencies who specialize in all sorts of industry sectors, corporate and creative, as well as different levels of roles, so make sure you find one which is suitable to your experience and skills.
Most agencies will require a face-to-face meeting or a video call to get you fully registered with them. During this meeting, they will:
Talk through your experience and skills
Find out more about you
Learn what you are looking for and what makes you tick
This will allow the agency to match you with the right temp role for you, one which you have the suitable skills for and where culturally you will be a good team fit.
How Do Temp Jobs Work?
When in a temp assignment, you will be employed via the temp agency and on their payroll. You will keep records of the hours you work and complete a weekly timesheet which will also need to be signed off by your line manager. The temp agency can then process the payroll, and you will usually be paid weekly, in arrears.
For every hour you work, you accrue holiday pay, and if you need to end the assignment for any reason, you can do so quickly without being tied into a notice period.
When To Pursue A Temp Job
If you find yourself out of work, temping can be a great way to build up your experience, explore new sectors and start earning money quickly.
Most temp agencies will pay you weekly, so it won’t be long before your first paycheck. Large unemployment gaps on a CV never look great to a future employer, but filling these with temp positions shows you are ambitious, driven, and can pick up new skills in a new environment.
Often a temp role will turn into a permanent position or a new introduction. Either way, it should expand your network, help you learn new skills, and allow you to work out the industry sectors which appeal to you the most, all of which can help you create new career opportunities.
Key Takeaway
Candidates looking to temp need a certain skill set to be able to go into a new environment and hit the ground running. Although the unknown can be nerve-wracking, there are some real positives that can come from taking a temping assignment, not least getting paid!
Author Profile: Auria Heanley
Auria Heanley is co-founder of Oriel Partners, a boutique PA and administrative recruitment consultancy based in Central London. She is extremely passionate about providing the highest quality of service to both clients and candidates. Oriel Partners’ clients range from global multinationals to small boutique firms, all requiring the same personal service and high-calibre support.
