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Temping

Published: Mar 31, 2009

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Temp-to-Perm

An option worth considering for anyone in need of a full-time job: temping. Employersoften find new employees through hiring temps, since they can test the tempscapability for only one or two weeks instead of making a commitment by hiring full-timeemployees, training them, and then waiting to see if things work out. Hiring temps istherefore seen as a no-cost benefit to the company, a low-risk investment that can last asshort as a day.

The benefits for the temps themselves are a little more ethereal. Temping is a greatjob for those who are, shall we say, shy of committing to one job. In other words, if youcant deal with the thought of the same boss, phone lines, and drearyresponsibilities day after day, then you may be the perfect candidate for a temp job,where you will never have to stay long enough to let the cobwebs grow around your desk-topphotos.

Another plus of temping is the opportunity to network. When youre a temp younetwork not only with your actual employers, but with the other temps as well. Tempingseems to be to the nineties what waiting tables was to the seventies and eighties: ifyoure an aspiring actor, writer, or musician, these days the odds are thatyouve paid your dues in front of a desktop rather than over a plate of spaghetticarbonara. You never can tell which of your temp comrades may know of a struggling littlealternative performance space thats just perfect for your one woman show. And, whoknows, after a few months of playing coffee bar open mic nights for a share of the tipjar, you may jump at the chance of full time employment if one of your temp bosses offersit to you.

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