When you’re just starting out on the employment ladder, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. Where should you apply? What skills do you have? Who is hiring staff with limited experience? These are all questions that may well spring to mind when you come to search for your first job or work experience. But do not worry, you’re not alone – after all, everyone has to start somewhere!

Finding organisations where you can sign up to work on a voluntary basis can be rewarding and help you gain the confidence and skills to land your first paid role, but in these unprecedented times, it’s understandable to want to go straight into paid work. This is where applying for a temporary job or placement or ‘temping’ (as it’s often called) could be a great way to get started and commence work on your terms.

There are many rewarding reasons to get a temp job or placement, each with different benefits. From simply gaining new experience in a new field, to supporting you through study or travel and if you’re looking for your very first job, taking this approach could be a great way to get your foot in the door for further opportunities later down the line.

Here are some of the top benefits of getting a temp job to kick-start your employment.

Find flexible work that fits around your studies.

If you’re at college or university, temping is often a popular option for students looking for work to top up their student loan or gain an additional stream of income while studying. It also offers flexibility for those studying away from home and the attractive option to take on more work during the holidays when you have more flexibility away from learning commitments.

Find out what kind of things you’re good at.

Temping is a good way to trial different roles and find out what works for you. You may be a helpful front of house member or a quick and efficient bartender. You may also find there is some work that you don’t enjoy or grasp as quickly which will help you to narrow down your job search later down the line.

Gain experience in different areas.

A temp job can give you experience in areas you might not have normally considered. Be it hospitality, clerical, or customer services you may find yourself in a variety of different sectors and roles. The benefit of this is not only could it help you get a permanent job in one of these fields, but you’ll have heaps of experience to bring to the table should you find yourself looking for a stop gap again. Some jobs can require an ‘all hands on deck’ style approach and employers like it if their staff have experience and empathy for a variety of roles and tasks.

Build your CV

CVs are still one of the main things employers look at when choosing who to hire. Additional experience from temping will help you to boost your CV and stand out from the crowd during the hiring process. Employers like to see candidates who are hard working, take the initiative and are willing to get stuck into their workload. Having a temp job is a great example of this and provides a good talking point to draw on at the interview stage.

Pay the bills during your job hunt.

Temping can be a useful tool in the limbo between finding that permanent role and in many cases a means of survival. The peace of mind, knowing you can pay your bills while searching for a long term position will also help to make the overall job hunt less stressful.

Take control

As a temporary worker, you aren’t tied down by permanent contracts giving you more control over your schedule and the option to move on if things aren’t right for you. The flexibility of this is a great option for those looking to move elsewhere in the near future so you’re not tied down with a contract or commute should things move quickly.

Land your dream job

The ultimate goal is to land that dream job, and temping can help you to get there.  Temping is a great way to get your foot in the door with a company and make a good impression with a desired employer. You may even find out about permanent roles first and get a head start against other candidates. A lot of employers advertise internally first; this way, you’ll get a feel for the business and what’s required from their staff, enabling you to perform better during the recruitment process.

As you can see from these examples, there are lots of positive reasons to consider applying for temp work, whatever your situation. Not to mention the experience you could gain to land a permanent position or simply to get a feel for things in an industry you may not have considered previously. At Nelson Recruitment Services our team understands how important it is to find work you’re comfortable with and are here to help you secure that role. For more information on temp roles in industries such as warehousing, production, manufacturing, and more, we may be able to match you with, please do not hestitate to get in touch and our friendly expert team will be able to guide you further.