Temping: the pros and cons

There's no such thing as a job for life in today's employment market and it's not unusual for people to switch jobs, even careers, every few years.

The hospitality industry always seems to have a severe shortage of staff, and good people can switch jobs or get rapid promotion with comparative ease.

This has led to a shift in the balance of power towards job-seekers, who can pick and choose where they want to go. Often it's up to employers to persuade the job seeker to join them.

As a consequence, potential employees are in a stronger bargaining position on issues such as pay, hours and conditions.

Or, if they want to be more flexible, they can take a temporary job that suits them.

Gaining experience

But flexibility is not the only advantage of temping. For many professionals in the industry, such as chefs and managers, it can be an extremely useful way to get exposure to different skills and practices.

You could experience different sectors of the industry - a hotel one day and a contract caterer the next - make a huge number of contacts, take on different levels of responsibility and work in some prestigious companies.

There are, of course, also drawbacks to temping. Cashflow is erratic, benefits are scarce and you never know from one assignment to the next what your schedule may be. You also may often be treated as "just a temp". That can be quite humbling, so you need to leave your ego at home.

You won't get the camaraderie of working in a team of people who all know each other. You may also end up doing the boring jobs that no one else wants.

Lack of training

There may be a lack of guidance or instruction. You're there as a stop-gap and your employer may not have the time or inclination to train you in their methods.

Plus, if you do decide to try and find a permanent job, there are many employers who don't like to see hundreds of positions on a CV. People want to know you're reliable, loyal and committed, so a long period of temping can be frowned upon.

Most importantly, there is always the chance that the work will suddenly dry-up. When times get tough and cuts are being made, temporary staff are often the first to go.

Finding a temp job is as easy as opening the Yellow Pages and looking under "employment agencies". There are many companies that specialise in catering jobs and will know and understand the skills you have to offer.

Here are a few hints to getting the most out of agencies:

Make sure they know you. Sounds simple, but they may have hundreds of people on their books. Do they know your face and personality as well as your name? Treat the agency staff as something more than a temporary part of your life. Get to know them, keep in touch and they're more apt to find you the jobs you want.

Know your job requirements. At your initial interview, ask the agency to list the variables associated with different jobs: pay range, hours, locations etc. Then go home and decide what you can accept. This will help you and the agency pick the right jobs, quickly.

Take advantage of them. Sounds mercenary, but take what you can in terms of extra training. Pay is important, but stress that it's not your only consideration. Let them know that you're eager for new skills and expertise. Don't pass up opportunities to learn if someone else is picking up the bill.

Deciding whether to temp is a personal decision, but by carefully weighing up the pros and cons you should be able to work our what's right for you.

Pros of temping

• Variety
• Exposure to new skills
• Broad experience
• Exposure to different sectors
• Meeting a wide range of people
• Working with various levels of management
• Learning about different organisational methods
• Working in some prestigious companies
• Work only when you want

Cons of temping

• Occasionally treated as second-class employee
• Have to leave a job after you get to know the people you are working with
• Lack of respect
• Often get given the boring jobs that no one else wants
• Takes a long time to become eligible for benefits
• Sometimes thrown into work situations without guidance or clear instruction on what needs to be done
• Uncertainty of consistent work
• You are dispensable
• A long period of temping can look bad on a CV