If you are about to start out on your career in the workplace and like many graduates, you are not quite sure what pathway to take, it may be worthwhile seriously considering temporary work as a starting point.
Once you 'park' any preconceived parental stigma which suggests getting a permanent job is the way to go, you can explore the nuances and benefits the world of temporary work can give you and put you in an ideal starting position to get your career kickstarted in the right manner
Firstly, here's a few frequently asked questions on what "temping" is in case you aren't aware?
What is Temping?
Temping is essentially where you work on an assignment for an organisation on a short term basis, normally defined but sometimes open-ended in length.
How do I go about Temping?
We recommend registering with a recruitment agency like ourselves. You will register with us and then we will look and advise you of a variety of opportunities we have with our Clients and what the roles entail.
Can I try different Temporary Roles?
Absolutely, providing you have the basic requisites our Clients are looking for in the role.
How do I get paid?
The recruitment agency will pay you an hourly rate which based on the number of hours worked in the week will give you a Gross pay. After deductions for PAYE, National Insurance and other statutory deductions this will give rise to a Net pay. This is paid to you the Friday after the week in which you worked.
What are the Benefits of Temping for You?
Well, here's 7 benefits we think you will get key value from.
1. It helps to build your skillset very quickly
Every time you walk into a temp role you’re faced with new people, new systems, new cultures, new management styles, and new tasks. You’ll constantly be exposed to diverse information and different ways of doing things, which will require you to "think on your feet", adapt and make you vastly more well-rounded, far more employable and add to your C.V. very quickly.
2. You find out about new roles, new companies, different industries and a host of different workplaces.
If you’re unsure about your career pathway, or just want to see what different types of companies and environments are like to work for, then a temp role provides a brilliant research opportunity. What better way to give yourself a greater insight into the world of work
At Lucy Walker Recruitment, we recruit for many industries and for many roles ranging from general office admin right through to legal roles and procurement & logistics, so there’s a lot of room for experimentation.
3. It can lead to a Permanent Job.
Frequently Temp roles can provide an ideal gateway to permanent roles if you make the right impression. Many employers now advertise temp-to-perm roles for that very reason, so that you both have time to work out if it’s a good fit before entering a permanent contract. Even if there’s no permanent role available, the company may remember you down the line when an opportunity is arise.
Read our 5 Step Graduate Guide
4. It can help you build a business network.
You’re building contacts across companies and industries and with the Recruitment Company that placed you there in the first place. On more than one occasion we have placed a great temp in the same company over several years. This can be very rewarding for all concerned.
Serious about Your Career? Why Not download our Career Checklist
5. Increases Your Confidence
The first time anyone walk into a new workplace can be daunting, however when you’ve completed 5 short-term temping roles in the last 4 months, starting a new job becomes a skill that you take easily in your stride. This serves to increase your confidence and helps you to develop the skills to make a great impression with colleagues right from the start.
6. Helps You Discover Your Passion... (Which you may not even know yet!)
You might be asked to help on social media, or help with designing a pamphlet for publication. You may discover that you’re a whiz at copy-editing documents, or turning filing chaos into a bit of OCD-worthy brilliance. Temping sometimes allows you to identify talents you never knew you had- as well as realise what you want to avoid going forward. This is a real benefit of Temporary assignments.
We have countless examples of Temporary Workers who were reluctant to look at certain roles or environments or industries but have ended up having long, fruitful and ultimately successful careers within those businesses.
7. The Opportunity to Work Flexibly
If you’re still studying temping is a fantastic, highly flexible option and if you want to take the summer off and just work October to April you can? That is more than possible in a temp role. You are firmly in control of when you work and when you play.
What Next?
If this all sounds good, maybe its time to consider temping! You can get in touch by emailing us calling our Leeds office on 0113 367 2880 or 
