Close to 3 Million people go to work each day as a temporary or contract employee in some area of the US. In fact, until just recently temporary or contract employment has been one of the fastest growing segments in the job market and still is in many sectors of the economy.

Here’s some of the reasons job seekers tell us is why they are choosing to be part of the “flexible” economy – i.e. become a “gig” worker:

• An opportunity to expand their resume – to learn new  skills. To have new work experiences that they believe will enhance their value as an employee down the road.
• An opportunity to check out one or more employers as places to work before they tie themselves to one job, one employer. This is a particularly valuable benefit for people who move to this area and want to test out the job market before landing somewhere permanently.  
• An ability to go to work quickly, to earn money while in between jobs or during those times when life is changing and the primary driver is “flexibility”     
• The opportunity to create a life style that is more about free time and flexibility than fixed commitments.  
• A way to keep work exciting and challenging, always changing! 

We often get asked questions about temporary or contract work – how it works? What are the rules? We thought we’d share a few of those questions here…

What skills, experiences, or personal qualities are needed to be good at temping?

With some exceptions, temporary work works best for employees who have already have a certain set of skills or have a level of expertise that doesn’t require a lot of on the job training. Although some employers will train, most expect you to come to work prepared to perform.

The personal qualities we find works best when it comes to temping are…

• Initiative and resourcefulness – The ability to figure things out without a lot of help from others.
• A “go with the flow” attitude – An ability to keep going in the face of unknowns, to not get rattled when things don’t go as expected.
• A positive, helpful personality. Our best temps are people who actively look to make a difference in the short time they are on assignment.
• Reliability –  A track record of coming to work every day – on time and ready to work!
• An ability to get along with others. Our temporary employees encounter a lot of different personalities and work styles. A big part of being a “temp” is being “liked” by everyone – definitely staying away from office politics.

Is it easier/faster to get hired as a “temp” compared to a career job?

For sure. The vetting processes employers use to select a short term employee are definitely not as exacting or time consuming. You can get selected on Monday and go to work by Wednesday or Thursday.

What is the difference between a temporary or contract assignment?

While the temporary and contractor language can be used interchangeably, from a legal perspective they reflect  different types of employment.

A temporary job is just that – temporary employment. Legally it can start and end without notice.

Contract assignments, on the other hand, typically involve some sort of formalized agreement between the employer and the employee (or their representative) specifying things like the length of the assignment, work content, results expected, under what conditions the contract can be ended, etc.

While not a defining difference, many contract workers are self employed and file taxes as an independent business. Temporary employees, on the other hand are always W2 employees, and typically work for an agency like PACE who contracts with an employer to provide them with temporary staff.

Some agencies refer to all their temporary employees as contractors…probably a bit misleading.

How long do most temporary assignments last?

Temporary assignments start and stop “at will”. Even a contracted assignment can end without either cause or notice. While most of the temporary or contract assignments we represent are targeted to last 1-4 months, the range actually ends up varying from a few days to several years. At PACE, our recruiters will let you know what we’ve been told as the “length of an assignment” at the time you are presented with the assignment opportunity.

If I register for temporary placement with an agency, do I have to accept every assignment they offer?

No. One of the best parts of becoming a “temp” is that you get to choose when and for whom you work. In fact, when you register with PACE and we offer you an assignment, we don’t want you to accept the assignment unless you are fully committed to completing it.

What if I have to leave an assignment before it ends?

Most staffing agencies realize that things come up in a busy life that may require an employee to adjust a previous work commitment. At PACE, if we get proper notice of your intent to quit, your relationship with PACE will stay in tact and you will be eligible to be assigned elsewhere or at a later time. Ending an assignment for casual reasons, on the other hand, can become grounds for termination, and make you ineligible for future assignments.

How often am I paid while on temporary or contract assignment?

That depends on the staffing agencies pay policies. Most employees who work for PACE on temporary or contract assignments are paid weekly, every Friday. Some of our “full time” employees on assignment will be paid every other week.

If I want to go to work for the employer where I am assigned, can they hire me directly?

Yes, in fact many PACE clients look first to our temporary or contract employees when it comes time to hire. Temp-to-Hire auditions give both employees and employers a chance to check out each other before entering into a longer term employment relationship.

If I am currently collecting unemployment and I register for placement with a temporary staffing agency,  will my unemployment stop?
No, not until you actually begin work on assignment.

Can I register with several staffing agencies at the same time?

You can register with as many staffing agencies as you need to make you are working as often as you would like. While we appreciate our temporary employees who register with us exclusively we understand that if the goal is to keep working for a while in temporary roles, you may need to register with more than one agency to minimize your down time between assignments.