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Temporary Employment
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Me, a temp?  Absolutely!

Many of you know me as the Managing Director for the Experis Engineering Division of ManpowerGroup here in Columbus.  My team is significantly involved in the greater Columbus business community and staffs some of the areas most prominent companies on a temporary, temp-to-permanent and permanent basis.

Experis, like many of the other professional staffing companies in Columbus, staffs a wide variety of temporary positions ranging from traditional administrative and light industrial positions to engineering, IT, scientific, accounting and financial positions.

I strongly suggest that you include staffing agencies as part of your job search strategy.  Here's why.  Many of the companies that you are targeting in your job search may not be hiring on a permanent basis.  Instead, they are hiring temporary employees on long term assignments as part of their hiring strategy. 
Many of the best temporary employees that I put on assignment are eventually hired by my clients.  That's how I lose them. 

So, if you have not been successful in landing a permant position at one of your target companies, get in as a temp.  Work you tail off and the odds are with you that you will eventually get hired, permanently.

Here are some statistics on the staffing industry courtesy of the American Staffing Association:

Staffing companies match millions of people to millions of jobs every day.
  • 2.9 million people per day are employed by staffing companies.
  • 12 million temporary and contract employees are hired by U.S. staffing firms over the course of a year.
  • 79% of staffing employees work full time, virtually the same as the rest of the work force.

Flexibility

The staffing industry offers flexibility to both employees and companies. People can choose when, where, and how they want to work. Companies can get the skills they need to keep fully staffed during busy times.
  • 66% of staffing employees say flexible work time is important to them.
  • 64% of staffing employees report that their work gives them the scheduling flexibility and the time for family that they desire.
  • 90% of client businesses say staffing companies give them flexibility to keep fully staffed during busy times.

Bridge

Temporary and contract work provides a bridge to permanent employment. People can try out a prospective employer and showcase their skills for a permanent job.
  • 88% of staffing employees say that temporary or contract work made them more employable.
  • 77% of staffing employees say it’s a good way to obtain a permanent job.
  • 80% of staffing clients say staffing firms offer a good way to find people who can become permanent employees.

Choice

Many people choose temporary and contract work as an employment option. They can select their work schedules and choose among a variety of diverse and challenging assignments.
  • 67% of staffing employees say choice of assignments was an important factor in their job decision.
  • 23% of staffing employees have little or no interest in a permanent job—they prefer the alternative arrangement over traditional employment.
  • 33% of staffing employees say they work for a staffing company because they like the diversity and challenge of different jobs.

Training

The staffing industry provides free training for millions of temporary and contract employees to help meet today's demand for skilled workers.
  • 90% of staffing companies provide free training to their temporary employees.
  • 65% of staffing employees say they developed new or improved work skills through their assignments.
  • 40% of staffing employees say they choose temporary or contract work as a way to obtain employment experience or job training.

I suggest that all of you register with multiple staffing companies.   There is no cost and it could be the path to your next career.

Ken Lazar, CTS
KenLazar@msn.com
Content Copyright 2011. Ken Lazar. All Rights Reserved.