This tutorial explains why taking a temporary job can boost your career. The last thing you should do is sit around awaiting the perfect permanent job. If a temporary position is available – go for it.

A FTSE 100 Director famously said he considers his career as a series of projects – some taking weeks to complete, some taking months or even years. The important point is to give each project your best shot, learn from your experience and move on.

By definition a temporary assignment is a project (with the added bonus many companies offer permanent roles to those who perform well). It’s not hard to see how taking a temporary job can boost your skills and even accelerate your career.

To make it clear:
* You get instant responsibility. Invariably you’re employed to deliver a project or ensure a critical business process continues.
* You work under pressure, since if you fail to deliver you’re out.
* You learn about a company, fast. If you take several short term assignments, you have the chance to learn about multiple businesses much more quickly than a full time employee in one company.
* It’s also very easy to have your say - remember, permanent staff can’t be so bullish. Plus you’re only giving an ‘independent, outside view’ (think of yourself as a consultant).
All this in the knowledge your CV is getting stronger by the day and the next, better paid assignment could be just around the corner.
Whether taking a stint as a data entry clerk, kitchen delivery agent, interim HR director or telesales agent , remember you can always try to observe the processes in place and suggest how to do things better.
So, take the temp role seriously, observe the business and create fantastic ammunition for future interviews by noting all the good things you achieve – for example good customer feedback, time saving initiatives or process improvements.

Take Away Points

Do not wait for a permanent job. Take a temporary one whilst keeping you eye open for a permanent role.
1. Take temporary jobs seriously, not just as a gap filler, and it will lead to new opportunities
2. Many companies offer permanent roles to temporary staff who perform well
3. You gain much more responsibility and achieve more in a short space of time: great stuff for your CV
4. You learn about different businesses quickly.