| Working on a temporary or contract basis through a | | | | holding out for a position that's in line with your |
| staffing agency is often overlooked as a possible job | | | | career goals. (Most states will allow you to interrupt |
| lead source. Here are five reasons to consider this | | | | unemployment benefits and reinstate them with |
| little understood resource. | | | | relative ease.) |
| 1. Access to More Job Openings | | | | 4. Access to Free Resources |
| Staffing companies can be viewed as a type of | | | | Good staffing firms and recruiters offer free advice |
| clearing house for open positions. Jobs come in, get | | | | on how to improve your resume. Free interviewing |
| filled and are replaced with other jobs. The number | | | | help may also be provided. They want to help you |
| of openings an agency has at any one time will | | | | put your best foot forward. In addition, many |
| depend on the effectiveness of the staffing | | | | agencies provide access to free software tutorials |
| company's sales efforts. Top staffing agencies will | | | | allowing candidates to refresh or polish their skills as |
| have open positions you won't find elsewhere. | | | | needed. |
| 2. Get A Foot in the Door | | | | 5. Try Before You Buy |
| When the economy is struggling many companies | | | | Working on a temporary basis allows you to |
| freeze hiring. The work, however, still has to get | | | | experience a company's work environment and |
| done. When the volume of work to be done | | | | company culture without or before making a more |
| exceeds a company's resources very often | | | | permanent commitment. This allows you to find out |
| temporary or contract workers will be utilized. It's not | | | | whether the boss's management style will facilitate |
| unheard of for these contract workers to be offered | | | | your success without wasting precious time if it |
| more permanent arrangements when hiring freezes | | | | won't. (This is a double edged sword of course |
| are lifted. | | | | because the company gets to try you before they |
| 3. Earn Money While Looking for Your Ideal | | | | 'buy' as well. Make sure you put your best foot |
| Opportunity | | | | forward.) |
| When the economy is struggling job seekers are | | | | To succeed when working through a staffing agency |
| tempted to accept jobs that are not good matches. | | | | you need to understand that they exist to find |
| While the mindset is understandable, this behavior is | | | | people for jobs, not jobs for people. You must also |
| self defeating because it often leads to a downward | | | | find the right agency to associate with. The next |
| spiral of job hopping. It's much better to find contract | | | | article in this series focuses on 5 things to look for |
| or temporary work so you can pay the bills while | | | | when choosing a staffing firm. |