Whether you’re finishing up a seasonal job, planning to leave college soon, or hitting the job market for other reasons, there’s one solution you may not have considered before: temporary work. Staffing companies in the U.S. are often on the lookout for qualified workers who can take on nonprofit jobs and other rewarding work. If you’re in need of a job, contract work and perhaps even opportunities that can go temp to hire like this may be the perfect fit.
Why might 2016 be the year of temp work for you? Here are some reasons you might consider working with a professional staffing agency this year:
- The job market is still tough. While unemployment has significantly declined since the recession hit, there are still many people who want a better job — or need one in the first place! One survey found that 51% of people who currently have a job are either actively seeking another one or are open to getting a new one.
By some estimates, about 71% of workers in the U.S. are “on the job market,” meaning that they’re either unemployed or employed and looking for a new job — or they’d be open to leaving their current one. As such, working with a staffing agency can give you an advantage with an inside source into some pretty competitive jobs. Speaking of competition… - More people are applying for the job you want. Research from one Forbes article estimates that for every job opening out there, there will be an average of 118 applicants. Depending on the industry and the job itself, that number could be much higher. Even online you have competition: 30% of all Google searches, or nearly 300 million each month, are job-related.
In order to stand out in the crowd, you may need a third party to help you find the job you want, whether it’s part-time, full-time, contract, or permanent. By using a staffing agency and even opting to do temp work before being hired full-time, you have a solid “in” in the job market. However, even if you don’t want to be hired full-time… - Temp work offers flexibility. If you’re not really looking to commit to a specific job or industry just yet, why not try working as a temp? For instance, if you’re thinking of breaking into the nonprofit industry, then a temporary job could be a great introduction to it. This could also be an ideal path for someone who has just moved to a new area, plans on moving away at some point, or is in between semesters at college. No matter what the reason is that you’re looking for work, an agency may be just the thing you need.
Have you considered using a temp agency to find work? Tell us about your job hunt experience in the comments below.