Part time careers in temping
Temporary agencies are a great place to start with part time careers - they are easier to get initial work, and give you experience and networking ability in the work world.
Here's some information that will help you with this venture.
- Be available for vacations
Temporary agencies are always short of people for vacation times - holidays, easter, spring breaks - being available at these times means that you'll have a temp agency's full attention when everyone else is looking for work.
- Do work you like
This may sound simple, but one important focus of part time careers is to do work that you actually enjoy. Keep in mind that a proper mindset can enjoy even the most mundane of jobs, it's important to both you and your employer that you find a way to like what you're doing.
- Accept that you start at the bottom
Temp agencies will initially give one or two day assignments to anyone (well, almost anyone...). These assignments are rarely worth the company's time - to them, for the work involved, they pay very little. The reason they focus on these is to get feedback on your work ability before they give you a position with higher value clients.
Do well with short assignments, and you'll get bigger, longer, better paying assignments quickly. Even more part time careers can be obtained by simply doing a good job with the ones you have, and moving through the ranks.
- ALWAYS make a good impression
Pretend that you're going to a brand new job (you are). Show up early, be polite and offer to help for other areas than your description suggests.
Stay off the cell phone, text messages, and games. Use a proper posture, and ask before exploring something new (sometimes this is the best way to meet people in your new workplace)
- Use the position as a springboard
Temporary agencies have connections with large companies, all of which can potentially be a longer term career.
Ask people to try to understand their work.
- Have an "elevator speech"
You're new, and most people don't see temping as a "permanent" job. They'll ask you what you want to do as a career, and it's good to have a 15 or 20 second overview of what you'd like to do.
This doesn't always have to be focused on what the employer does (although it helps) - but it's good to have it rehearsed.
Part time careers are for many people, a full time occupation!
Here's some information that will help you with this venture.
- Be available for vacations
Temporary agencies are always short of people for vacation times - holidays, easter, spring breaks - being available at these times means that you'll have a temp agency's full attention when everyone else is looking for work.
- Do work you like
This may sound simple, but one important focus of part time careers is to do work that you actually enjoy. Keep in mind that a proper mindset can enjoy even the most mundane of jobs, it's important to both you and your employer that you find a way to like what you're doing.
- Accept that you start at the bottom
Temp agencies will initially give one or two day assignments to anyone (well, almost anyone...). These assignments are rarely worth the company's time - to them, for the work involved, they pay very little. The reason they focus on these is to get feedback on your work ability before they give you a position with higher value clients.
Do well with short assignments, and you'll get bigger, longer, better paying assignments quickly. Even more part time careers can be obtained by simply doing a good job with the ones you have, and moving through the ranks.
- ALWAYS make a good impression
Pretend that you're going to a brand new job (you are). Show up early, be polite and offer to help for other areas than your description suggests.
Stay off the cell phone, text messages, and games. Use a proper posture, and ask before exploring something new (sometimes this is the best way to meet people in your new workplace)
- Use the position as a springboard
Temporary agencies have connections with large companies, all of which can potentially be a longer term career.
Ask people to try to understand their work.
- Have an "elevator speech"
You're new, and most people don't see temping as a "permanent" job. They'll ask you what you want to do as a career, and it's good to have a 15 or 20 second overview of what you'd like to do.
This doesn't always have to be focused on what the employer does (although it helps) - but it's good to have it rehearsed.
Part time careers are for many people, a full time occupation!
