TEMP WORK A CHANCE TO TEST THE WATERS

This is absolutely fabulous for those SMME's who need some help from time to time, but not the full time employment of a permanent staff member. We should all keep this in mind. It's a great way to assist us in growing our businesses, without putting too much strain on the expenses.

Temp work a chance to test the waters
10 August 2007 at 11h00

Deciding what kind of job you want to do for the rest of your working life is tough. The days of studying, getting a job in your area of study and working in the same company until you retire, are long gone.

In fact, staying in the same job for too long can actually harm your career progress, not to mention your own development and self-esteem, says Colette Atkinson, head of the Quest Learning Institute, which carries out learnerships and similar interventions. The working world is changing fast, she says. More and more companies are downsizing their core permanent staff and are filling the gaps with temporary employees. For these companies, it makes financial sense.

In the US, one in four employees is a temporary worker, and in the UK 40 percent of the total workforce is made up of temporary staff. In this new job climate, flexible staffing or flexstaffing is becoming a better work option for many young people who sign up with flexstaffing agencies that find work for them in a variety of organisations. "Some people say temporary employment isn't stable and doesn't add much to your CV. This couldn't be further from the truth."

Almost 80 percent of human resources executives say they consider a long stretch of consistent temporary work as valuable as full-time, permanent work. "If you sign up with an established, respected agency, stability won't be a problem and you will have access to benefits similar to those of permanent workers. "When you join an agency, the agency becomes your employer, and not the company you are placed in." A good agency will look after you by constantly providing work, giving you access to medical aid, provident funds and insurance. However, you should always research an agency and its credentials before signing up."

Louise Brouard of Quest Flexible Staffing Solutions gives some advice on choosing an agency: "Find out how long the agency has been in business, how many people are on its books, which industries it places flexstaffers in and whether you want to work in those industries. "Most important, look at the agency's approach and philosophy, and how it can assist you in building your career."

She says flexstaffing can be useful if you don't want to commit to a certain career path yet, and want to explore different industries and different kinds of work. It will provide you with a constant flow of diverse work experiences while you make your decision, removing the financial strain that comes with job hunting. Alternatively, if you know where you want to work, but can't get a permanent position there, working as a flexstaffer can give you a foot in the door, offering you a chance to prove yourself. Flexstaffing can also add skills you can put on your CV, giving you real, hands-on training and experience in a variety of fields, turning you into a sought-after employee.

"We've also found that a lot of our flexstaffers enjoy the business and social networking side of temporary work." They meet people they ordinarily wouldn't meet and have the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals at every placement," says Brouard. Good agencies will also provide you with opportunities to improve your own skills and job performance through formal training or workplace learning, or a combination of the two.