During the course of 12 months, U.S. staffing companies hire nearly 16 million temporary and contract employees, according to the American Staffing Association.
While those looking to land a permanent role may find temp work that doesn’t guarantee an end to unemployment unenticing, below are six reasons why accepting a contract role may, in fact, be quite savvy:
1. Close The Gap
Explaining long stretches of unemployment can be tricky, and unemployment may be viewed as a red flag to a potential employer.
The bottom line? Even a less-than-ideal temp job may be perceived as better than no job at all on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
2. Expand Your Skills
No two companies are alike, and different corporations will use different systems and employ different processes to do similar work. Contract employment offers you the opportunity to acquire new skills and expertise around different methodologies, software and platforms. The bottom line? Learning about how different companies operate can translate into a diverse skill set that may make you far more employable.
3. Open A New Door
Interested in opening the door to a new industry or the chance to position yourself as an industry generalist? Temping can offer you the opportunity to work across diverse industries – particularly competitive ones.
The bottom line? When your goal is to make a move to a new industry, temp work can get your foot in the door, and build a persuasive case that your skills are easily transferable across industries.
4. Grow Your Network
Whether or not your contract role evolves into something permanent, a temp job well done means you walk away with solid references, as well as personal and professional inroads in terms of connections who may be able to help you down the line.
The bottom line? The more people you know, the greater the chance you will connect with someone that can help you land that next role. If nothing else, temping offers you the opportunity to expand your contact list.
5. Fast Pass To Permanent
According to the American Staffing Association, 35% of temporary workers were offered a permanent job during a temporary assignment, and 66% of those accepted the offers.
The bottom line? When it comes to going from temp to perm, the stats tell a compelling story. Looks like the odds of permanent employment lie in favor of temp employees.
6. Flexibility
For many, the biggest perk of temp roles is the flexibility. Contract work can offer more control than permanent roles in that YOU choose who you want to work for and when.
The bottom line? Although a role with uncertainty may be scary for some at first, many come to love the freedom of temp work.

I am pleased to reprint this article published in the July 22, 2016 edition of Careerealism.

Looking for more guidance in your job search? Contact one of our staffing experts today, and we’ll work with you to find a new job and meet career goals. We look forward to hearing from you!