Other job hunters tell us they are less pressed during their job search when they are temping and have a source of income. Temping also enables them to have employment continuity-they are still part of the work force and have a reason to get up and get dressed. It gives an individual a sense of momentum.
Is temping always so tempting?
Most of the temps we interviewed told us temping is a mix of positive and negative experiences. And most had come to terms with this trade-off. Susan Grady told us, "There are days when I feel like I put my brain in a basement." Grady spoke of supervisors at a client s office who were unprepared and unable to supervise a temp, managers who didn't know what they wanted or where anything was. Other temps told us that they occasionally felt isolated and left out of company events. We learned of one temp who was hurt because she was not invited to the office Christmas party even though she had been on the assignment at the firm for over seven months. "It wasn't company policy; they said if they did it for one, they would have to do it for all." Temping does have its disadvantages: social isolation from co-workers; the subjection to the "just a temp" attitude; and many temp services still do not provide health insurance and other fringe benefits to their employees.
Of course, the temporary help industry is not without its critics. Some sociologists call temps working nomads. They maintain that we are creating a disposable employment force, which is unhealthy for workers as well as organizations. Critics argue that the lack of camaraderie between temps and permanent staff creates an isolated environment. They believe that the continued use of temporary employees causes the corporate culture to suffer on account of a transient staff which feels no loyalty to the organization and operates with no organizational memory. Labor advocates are also concerned that temps will be used increasingly to break strikes. Many temporary services do observe a policy of not crossing picket lines, but a company can legally replace striking employees with temporary employees.
Weighing the facts
Temping can give you the best of several worlds. Like any career choice it has its ups and downs, and understanding them will help make your decision to temp easier. Fortunately, you can get in and out of temping without too much trouble. For that reason, we feel it is an option people should consider, especially if they enjoy freedom, independence, and the opportunity to explore new work environments on a regular basis.
