Why should you be a temporary associate?
There are many reasons for and against being a temporary associate but not a whole lot of people understand what it truly is to be a temporary associate. Here are just some key points from my experience being a temporary associate for several different companies and agencies.
Speed Dating
Temp jobs are one of the best ways to “speed date” companies. The purpose of a temporary associate is to fill in for a perm employee who is taking time off (vacation, paternity leave, maternity leave …) or to help with a new project that may or may not need to be nurtured in the future. Some companies also use it to “speed date” future employees to make sure they are able to test out your skillset before making a full-time commitment. The only con to being a temp with a lot of jobs on your resume is that most companies like to see longevity on your resume. It’s very similar to dating — you wouldn’t want a partner who has a lot of short-lived relationships that never work out because of one reason or another. Having someone dependable is important to companies because if you are a full-time employee, they are making a commitment to you and putting in their resources to advance your career.
Salary
The salary will be comparable to the current market rate for your area for that specific job. Sometimes your agency will take a percentage from the company the assignment is for and other times it is just an overall rate. This really depends on the company and you will never know which is which. Though if you are seeing that your agency is offering a below-market rate for the job, they are most likely taking a cut of your pay and are trying to maximize their profits. Ask for what you think you deserve and no less based on your own research. Linkedin and Glassdoor or just a standard google search can help you find out your number, and if you in Tech — dice.com all the way.
Benefits
This is one of the biggest cons in my book. The benefits are always null and void and if there are benefits available, you will have to be a full-time temporary associate to receive the benefits. This is truly dependent on state rules and regulations and what agency you are with. Make sure to read the fine print carefully and make sure that you will have enough to possible get health insurance on your own.
Job experience
Besides internships, temp jobs are the best way to advance in your career in a short period of time. The only downfall is that not all companies want to invest in improving the skill set of a temporary worker, but if you get a good company/manager — there may be an exception to that rule. Just know that this is usually not the case.
Still want to temp?
Everyone has different needs/wants when it comes to what they need from their next gig, if temping seems like a good fit for you — go for it! There are many great temping agencies out there, some big and some small. Just be cautious of giving your SSN to someone offering you a dream job that is way too good to be true.
