Pros And Cons Of Working For A Temp Agency
'Temping' agencies are basically referred to as temp agencies or staffing agencies, that recruit or specialize in looking for positions for the job-seeking candidates searching for temporary work.
Temp agencies benefit both employers and employees by closing the opportunity gap.
They are intermediaries that helps connect candidates with vacancies as well as the hiring company meet their demands.
Companies often seek employees on a contract or project basis for a limited period. Similarly, candidates also look for opportunities or services that seek work for a finite period.
Table Of Contents:
- PROS of working for a Temp Agency
- Flexible work schedule
- Talent showcase and exposure
- Efficient training
- Filling job gaps and enabling skill development
- CONS of working for a Temp Agency
- Payment risks
- Financial coverage
- Stability
- Pigeonholed
- Fewer accompaniments
Although none of them can provide a guaranteed opportunity to permanent work or a future conversion of temporary work to a fixed or permanent role. Still there is at times when both parties agree upon enough potential for a company to be able to hire the temp workers on a permanent role or contractual employee permanently.
It can be said as a lucrative career option for anyone working for temp agencies as it provides change and variety. Nevertheless, there are pros and cons in this industry that must be considered if anyone is heading towards this path.
PROS of working for a Temp Agency
Flexible work schedule
When someone works with a temp agency, it is given that an individual is given an advantage on the fact that he/she need not work a 9-5 job. Although even if they do, the advantage they have over any permanent job is they will be allowed to choose the timing and schedule along with the tenure they would want to work.
That is a fair amount of flexibility, which pretty much allows them to get done with other chores and needs. Any interests or passion that one has could be met in the off-time they get, which will help them brush up their skills for better pay raise and position.
Talent showcase and exposure
Since there is enough flexibility to help individuals brush up their skillset, the room for showcasing their talent is widened, and exposure limits rise for the betterment.
The temp job looks great on the CV as they provide an insight to the employers that the candidate is laced with immense talent and will be street smart apart from being diligently professional. It sets a good record of not being a laggard or a lazy fellow who would have killed time but chose to work and learn skills instead.
Efficient training
The work culture varies, and so does the strenuous limit of the work environment. However, an individual's experience as a temp agency worker garners efficiency and an outlook for future classified jobs. The work reach provides a plethora of skills, experiences, and positions.
NetworkingName any industry or work sector, the most common element amongst all the business is their networking, and as long as there is a flow of better communication and conduct, it runs smooth. Temp agencies have vast networking as they have been connecting with various people from different sectors, thus utilizing their networks enables the individuals to bring in more connections via various organizations.
Filling job gaps and enabling skill development
Hiring managers and companies are quite reluctant in appointing candidates with a considerable job gap. Having one in the resume is more like a demerit and easily noticeable. Working in one of the temp agencies ensures that the gaps do not look bad instead of creating a better impression. Temp agencies have many advantages in gaining experience and are an intelligent choice for starters. Therefore, the time invested and skills gained works in favor of any individual.
CONS of working for a Temp Agency
Just like advantages, there are many disadvantages or cons of working in a temp agency. Irrespective of the opportunity and exposure gained, it is a temporary contract by nature sooner or later will see the end term.
The uncertainty remains, as it cannot be as sure as the permanent employment. This becomes worse when temporary employment becomes the first target to get ceased due to the fragile economy. This implies that the temporary workers often have a swinging axe above their heads at all times. Their cons list also extends to various considerable points when giving it a thought, and they can be:
Payment risks
The risk of being contracting directly is getting paid. Agencies are the businesses that run on providing workers or people to do a job and paying weekly or even a month, right on the nail in-hand, as that is all the workers' expectations. At this level of business the agencies falls way down the chain in the eyes of larger firms' finance departments.
Financial coverage
Given situation is not permanent, the temporary setting has temporary clauses, including no insurances, PF, or any extra financial assistance from the agency. This is non-reliable as there is no guarantee for help in times of individual emergency. The questions of reliability are out of the syllabus in many cases, especially if the agency is not that reputed or established.
Stability
The financial crisis and recession adversely hit the recruitment market. At this crucial hour, to be in business, the temp agencies argue to be the best in the field because the situation demands temporary workers as the firms and companies are becoming less confident in hiring permanent employees for the positions done by a temp worker. Although the reality is a bit different, it is not a cakewalk to switch from one temporary job to another or even getting one in the first place. The pool of candidates has grown a lot, making it unreliable to depend on the call for projects or contracts; one may end up waiting, and thus the Resume gap increases.
Pigeonholed
Temp work does have its advantages, but in no time can it convert to become a disadvantage and count against an individual's capacity to gain more from the opportunity. They can also pigeonhole into receiving only the temporary positions. Inevitably or unfortunately, future employers take you only as a temporary worker, which makes them see less value and even lesser diverse experiences. They will count the candidate only amongst the temp ones and assign them the same job as the previous experiences, thus hindering the potential one possesses.
Fewer accompaniments
Temp jobs are not ideal for everyone, mainly if the person does not intend to market himself or herself to the new employer before the contract term ends. The need for job search will always be there because temp agencies are only a half solution for joblessness for a limited period. This calls for being decisive for your own sake as mostly the temp worker will be viewed as an outsider, and mingling with the existing peer will be difficult. The less contact and even fewer entitlements create a negation in the surrounding. Therefore, one must give it a little more thought before leaping.