Working for a Temp Agency: Pros and Cons

Working with a temp agency can help you gain work experience in many different fields. Temp agencies can help you get a variety of temporary jobs, allowing you to network, build your skills and potentially find a position you really enjoy. If you're interested in temping, it's important to understand the benefits as well as the drawbacks involved.

In this article, we explain what a temp agency is and list some of the pros and cons of working for a temp agency.

What is a temp agency?

A temp agency is an organization that contracts with employers to help candidates get temporary jobs. Employers can use temp agencies to fill temporary positions, including positions on a seasonal or part-time basis, and employees receive benefits and pay through the temp agency. Temporary positions can last from days to months, depending on how long the company needs additional employees to fill in. Sometimes, a temporary position can turn into a full-time position with a company.

You might have many different reasons to pursue temporary employment, from filling gaps on your resume to testing out a job before committing to it. Temp agencies often focus on specific industries, such as medicine or computer science, so you can choose an agency that can connect you with the type of jobs you are qualified for that meet your specific needs.

Read more: Everything You Need To Know About Temp Agencies

Pros of working for a temp agency

Here are some benefits of working for a temp agency:

Flexibility

As a temporary employee, you may be able to enjoy flexible employment options. Between temporary jobs, you can coordinate with your temp agency to take time off. Additionally, temporary employees often have flexibility in the jobs and schedules that they choose to accept. This can give you a significant amount of freedom over your work. If you are looking for flexible work, online staffing companies like Indeed Flex have a wide variety of flexible job opportunities ranging from event staff to temp-to-hire positions.

Learning new skills

Working temporary jobs is also a great opportunity to learn new skills and expand your work experience. Temporary jobs can help you gain hands-on experience that you can include on your resume. This can help you to get hired for a permanent position at a company you've worked with or at a new company in the future.

For example, while working as a temporary social media manager, you might learn communication, marketing and graphic design skills that you can transfer to different job opportunities or use in a full-time social media manager position.

Related: Skills Recruiters Look for in Resumes

Trying different jobs

While working with a temp agency, you may have the opportunity to try out many different types of jobs. This can help you determine what your career interests are, and it can also give you experience in a field that you're considering for your long-term career.

Additionally, because of the variety of temporary jobs you have access to, if one role doesn't feel like the right fit for you, then you may enjoy your next position more. For example, you might work as a receptionist one week and a retail merchandiser the next, allowing you to learn about and practice different types of jobs within a short period of time.

Networking

You can also use your temporary positions to network and add more people to your list of professional contacts. By working for several different companies and networking with your colleagues, you can increase your connections. Furthermore, employers may be more likely to hire you in the future for a permanent position if they have already connected with you and seen your work firsthand.

Related: The Complete Guide To Networking

Earning income while job hunting

If you are working temporary jobs while searching for a permanent position, temping can help you ensure that you are still earning some income during your job hunt. Making money while searching for a permanent job can help keep you financially stable until you are able to start a full-time position.

Opportunity for permanent employment

Finally, temping can often give you opportunities for permanent employment. Some companies offer temp-to-hire jobs, which are temporary positions with the opportunity to transition to full-time roles. If you want to convince a company to hire you for a permanent position, you can show that you're a great candidate by displaying a strong work ethic and completing thorough, high-quality work.

Read more: What Does Temp To Hire Mean?

Cons of working for a temp agency

Although there are many pros of temping, depending on your personality and working style, there may be a few aspects of working for a temp agency that could affect whether this type of employment is right for you. Some potential downsides of working for a temp agency include:

Lack of stability

Working for a temp agency can sometimes feel unstable, as your job and income may frequently change or be uncertain. Additionally, once an employer no longer needs a temporary employee, jobs can end with little to no notice, leaving you searching for another temporary role. Though some people may feel more comfortable with a steadier job, you might find that you enjoy the unpredictable nature of temping.

Fewer employee benefits

Permanent positions typically offer a benefits package to employees, while temporary positions tend to offer fewer employee benefits. You can consider which employee benefits are the most valuable to you, such as health insurance or paid time off, to help you decide if temping is right for you or if finding permanent employment with a benefits package is a better option.

Related: 25 Types of Employee Benefits

Feelings of isolation in the workplace

Some temporary employees find it challenging to form relationships with colleagues in short-term jobs. As a temporary employee, you may feel like an outsider compared to your colleagues who are employed permanently. If you enjoy the camaraderie of longtime coworkers, it might be best to pursue a full-time position, but if you prefer to work independently, you might like this aspect of temping.

Mundane tasks

As a temporary employee, you may not always be interested in the tasks you are assigned. However, temporary positions are typically short-term by nature, so you likely won't have to work any role for long. However, if you value finding work that is consistently interesting and meaningful to you, you may want to consider searching for work that reflects this.

Related: Everything You Need To Know About Being a Temp

Unsteady work history

Finally, having several temporary positions on your resume might worry some employers when you're ready to search for full-time positions, as they may prefer to hire candidates with a history of steady employment. Listing several short-term jobs on your resume may appear like job hopping, which is when you move from job to job quickly without commitment. To explain this type of work history to employers, address your time at the temp agency in your cover letter and discuss the transferable skills you gained from your experience.