With flexible working becoming the new norm, many are looking to find what really makes them tick. Right now there has never been a better time to dip your toes in the temp workforce, to experience as much as possible and maybe find your tribe. Tribe's temp Talent Manager Elizabeth Etheridge shares her story within the world of temp.
Temporary has been the theme of my adulthood. Depending on the context, the word temporary often has negative connotations. For me, the knowledge that each moment was fleeting and irreplicable was a driver to do and experience as much as possible.
Since fleeing rain-soaked Manchester at the tender age of seventeen, it became customary for me to change countries every six months or so; hot climes to sub-zero temperatures with enough haste to produce condensation on the brain (don't fact-check me on that).
Working and travelling, I was no stranger to fixed-term contracts and temporary roles. Moving to New Zealand in August 2019, I enrolled with my first recruitment agency. Navigating finding employment whilst juggling visa restrictions was new to me, so the handholding offered by the said agency was appreciated.
It's both a coincidence – and not – that at present my job revolves around finding top candidates and helping match them with temporary roles that will excite and challenge them (and help curb cringing every time rent's due). Not being a person who grew up with a sense of occupational direction, it's through my years spent temping that I deduced what makes me flush with success and what feeds on my energies without providing the return of fulfilment, added sense of purpose, and self-development.
Funnily enough, it was my now-colleague Hattie who landed me my first temp role in NZ and who placed me in two succeeding roles. Temping allowed me to experience industries such as Telecommunications, Construction, and Financial Services, and live in countries like France, Austria, Spain, and NZ! The beauty of temping is that should you find a temp role in an industry that interests you, one of your feet is already holding the door ajar for other opportunities that become available. At the end of my six-month contract in a Financial Services contact centre, a permanent role opened in the Investments Administration team and thus, temping became the gateway to career progression.
I love the flexibility of temping. You may want a couple of month's work before continuing your studies, be saving up to backpack around the Peruvian Andes, need to manage childcare arrangements, or want an income whilst you set up your Flavoured Toothpicks business on Etsy – the list goes on. When considering a temp role, you'll be aware of the timeframe you're being asked to commit to and can plan around that.
Being a temp will quickly widen your skill set and experience: with each assignment you complete you'll gain exposure to different organisations, cultures, and roles. If you remain open to learning, you'll be surprised by how often you're presented with opportunities to stretch yourself and upskill. Temping also enables you to build your professional network. If you are focused, punctual, demonstrate enthusiasm for what you are doing and throw yourself into the company culture, you may easily find that you have become indispensable.
My temping story ends with me seeking advice from a recruiter last year. They took the time to understand what I wanted from my next role and company, and the conversations that followed concluded with me knocking on Tribe's door. I'm full of appreciation for the many temporary opportunities that led me to begin my career in recruitment and helped me find my Tribe.
Got you thinking...? Simply get in touch with the temp team here at Tribe and if it is just to have a reassuring conversation and get further insights, you will be in the right hands.
