Working through temporary work agencies can fill the gap when you're between jobs and open up new opportunities that you would not find without signing on with a temporary staffing agency.

Too many people overlook the benefits of signing on with temporary work agencies. They worry they'll be underpaid, assume temp agencies don't have leads on good jobs, or they don't understand the potential for a temporary job to turn into a more permanent job.

Benefits of Working with a Temp Job Agency

• Working in a contract position through a temporary staffing agency can provide a much needed source of income.
  
• Employers often call on temp agencies to fill immediate needs. That is, they work with an agency when they need someone on the job as soon as possible. For that reason, working with a temp agency can be very helpful if you need to find a job fast.
  
• Many great companies hire their full time staff through temp agencies. They bring in new staff on a contract basis, and if the person is a good fit for the job, they bring them on full time with the company. Some companies do all of their hiring in this way, and, for that reason, working with temp agencies is the only way to get hired at some great companies.
  
• A contract position can provide you with great networking opportunities. You'll have the opportunity to meet many people in your industry and may develop some good job leads through those interactions.
  
• You can gain experience in a new field. If you have the skills to do the job, but you lack experience, working with an agency can help you to gain that much needed experience.
  
• Contract work through a temporary agency can prevent gaps in your resume. If you have been out of work for a period of time, employers can start to question the gap in your work history. Working with an agency can limit the gaps in your work history so they do not become an issue for employers.
  
• Some temporary staffing agencies provide access to benefits. This is not the case with all agencies, so if benefits are important to you, be sure to ask about them when you sign on with the agency.
  
• If you have marketable skills, you can access well paying jobs through temporary work agencies. You'll find a range of salary levels in temp agency jobs; don't assume you cannot make a fair wage in a job you found through an agency.
  
• Many temporary agencies provide training. It's in their best interest to have a highly skilled pool of labor, so if you need to brush up on your computer skills or you need WHMIS training, you can access that training for free through some temporary agencies.
  
• The staff at temporary placement agencies get plenty of job leads that are not advertised. Working with a temporary employment agency can open up a lot of job opportunities that would never be available to you if you choose not to work with an agency.

Don't be too quick to dismiss the benefits of working with a temporary agency. You may be quite pleasantly surprised by the possibilities that arise when you use this job search strategy.

Find thousands of freelance writing and editing jobs...fresh jobs daily. Kickstart your writing career for just $2.95. Click here