Although temporary jobs are relatively short-lived, you should not exclude them from your CV. On the contrary, temporary jobs say a lot about your willingness to work. If you are planning on temporarily working ‘between jobs’ or simply to get a taste of another sector, you are doing the right thing, because temporary work is a perfect way to fill up any gaps in your CV and gaining useful experience at the same time.
In the US, ‘temping’, or doing temporary work, is somewhat more common than in these parts. For us, temporary work still has a bit of a negative connotation. It’s considered less valuable than permanent employment with the same employer. Undeservedly so, however, because you can gain relevant experience by doing temporary jobs with various employers. You also develop your communication and social skills in the workplace.
There are many advantages to doing temporary work:
1. You gain experience
If you’re only just starting out or if you’re looking for a career change, you may have found that it’s not all that easy to land a permanent job if you don’t have the right experience. That makes temporary work ideal. You can gain the necessary experience in your chosen field without committing yourself long-term. You will also get to know various companies and corporate cultures, which can help you discover what kind of company suits you best. So don’t despair if you don’t find a permanent job right away. It may well be to your advantage.
2. You will learn about the ins and outs of different sectors
If you don’t yet know what you want to do or in which sector you want to work, temporary jobs are an excellent opportunity to gain experience. You will get to know various sectors and jobs in a relatively short time, and, not unimportantly, your network will expand with every temporary job. Over time, you will start to see which sector and which job suits you best. You will then have the necessary experience and a better insight into your talents and strong points to pursue your professional goals to the full.
3. You love flexibility
Not everyone likes the idea of a permanent job. If you are always seeking new challenges or if you aren’t interested in long-term commitments, temporary work may give you the necessary flexibility. It allows you to easily move to the next challenge or take a break between jobs, for example to spend time on a hobby project. Advantages that you obviously would not have with a permanent job.
Temporary work can also be a solution for experienced professionals in times of uncertainty. If you find yourself out of a job for a while, you can avoid a gap in your CV by taking on a temporary job. However, if you want to list that experience in your search for a new permanent job, do not overload the recruiter with a long list of temporary job experiences. Citing too many temporary positions can sometimes be confusing and is not helpful. So only list relevant temporary jobs in your CV. Group them according to the sector or nature of the job. For example, you could mention that you were a marketing manager for several projects in the service sector, or worked in various industrial companies as a managing assistant. This allows the recruiter to immediately spot your merits and skills – precisely what you want them to focus on.
Another essential advantage of temporary jobs is that they often lead to permanent employment. Because while you’re getting a taste of a new company, your boss also gets a taste of your skills and commitment. Commitment often pays off and, so if you ‘click’ with your team members and boss, you may well be hired as a permanent employee after a while. Did you know that more than half of our temporary jobs at Robert Half lead to permanent employment?
Send us your CV. We will be happy to help.
