It’s no secret that I’m a Career Temp Consultant. I’ve been recruiting for temp roles for the past 18 years, with brief forays into permanent recruitment before getting sucked back into helping people secure temp roles. I genuinely love it and believe that we make a tangible difference for our clients and have a huge impact on our candidates’ lives.
You can spot a Career Temp Consultant a mile away – they always look slightly harried, are very curious and are also slightly scornful about the pace of permanent recruitment! We love talking about our jobs, so you’ll find that there are loads of blogs about temping – including a couple of great epistles from our own specialists at Beyond Recruitment; The Benefits of Using Temp Staff and Sharlene Yule on Temping as a Career.
But hearing from recruiters about temping isn’t uncommon. Whilst we are the experts, sometimes it’s good to get an unbiased perspective! So, I sat down with one of our long-standing temps recently and asked her opinion about temping.
Amanda has been working with us consistently since January 2015, and while she is not the longest serving temp we have working for us (5 years and counting for one!), she came to mind as a great example of what it takes to be a successful temp and what we look for when working with our temp candidates.
Here are Amanda’s thoughts on temping:
SM: How long have you been temping for?
A: Although it is not quite two years temping with Beyond Recruitment, overall I have been temping for nearly 16 years.
SM: What got you started in temping?
A: I got made redundant for the second time in a row and so decided to try temping out.
SM: What are the positives to temping?
A: Flexibility - the ability to have holidays when you want, and work when you want to. Being able to work at different companies and learn new skills, meeting lots of new people and making new friends.
SM: What are the negatives to temping?
A: There are occasions when there are quiet periods of no work. That’s why it’s great working with an agency that is always looking for new assignments for me.
SM: Do you think temping could be a way to further your career?
A: Yes, it has definitely helped me pick more skills along the way.
SM: Would you recommend temping to someone who had not tried it before?
A: Absolutely, especially if they are in-between jobs - I would totally recommend they give it a go.
SM: What sort of personality do you have to have to be a successful temp?
A: To be outgoing, flexible, confident, have a willingness to learn and be adaptable.
SM: How have you found your experience temping via Beyond Recruitment?
A: Great! I love temping with Beyond Recruitment.
SM: Would you temp again in future?
A: I’m still temping and definitely keen to keep temping. It all depends on what opportunities are out there of course!
So why is Amanda such a great temp? What makes a great temp stand out?
Amanda is flexible and adaptable - she’s been willing to take on anything thrown at her, learning on the job and venturing into new industries and environments, all with a positive attitude and cheerful smile – if we could bottle her enthusiasm we’d be selling ‘Eau de Temps’ to everyone.
She’s happy to travel (an hour on public transport sometimes), open to new opportunities, willing to learn and improve her skills and quick on the uptake. Moreover, she is a great ambassador for Beyond Recruitment – loyal, reliable and highly communicative.
In Summary
So, there you have it - the low down from a ‘Career Temp’ and the recipe for success from a ‘Career Temp Consultant’. With Amanda’s combination of great attitude, loyalty and excellent skills, she is always going to be top of mind for the Temporary Staffing Team at Beyond Recruitment.
If you want to find out more about Temporary Staffing Solutions at Beyond Recruitment, click here to contact your nearest branch – we’d love to convert you!
