by Dawn Hawkins

Created on: October 14, 2009

Working as a temp is a great way to have more control over how much you work and when you work. It is also great for people who don't mind doing different things every day. There is a downside to working for temporary agencies though. You have to weigh the negatives against the positives to decide if it is right for you.

Here are some of the downsides of working for a temporary work agency:

Unsteady

You may have work one day, but you never know if you will have work the next day when you work for temporary agency. If you aren't relying on the income to pay your bills, this might work out great. Otherwise, temp agencies may not be for you. You need something that will be consistent. There is a chance that you could land a permanent job through a temp agency, but there are no promises. Can you really take the chance?

Moving Around

You will not get a chance to know the people that you are working with because you are moving around from one workplace to another on a constant basis. This also means that you won't completely get to know the job before you are off to the next one. In some people's eyes, this is a good thing. For those who wish to get to know their job well, this type of work is not going to work out for you. You will be better off finding a permanent job which will suit you better.

Benefits

Temporary work agencies don't offer benefits in most cases. If you need the benefits, you will have to find permanent work in a place that offers them. Medical, dental, eye and life insurance are a huge reason why most people go out to work at permanent positions.

You Never Know

You just never know if you will be working the next day. You don't know if you will be called in early in the morning to do a job that hasn't been covered. This means that you can't plan on anything even when you don't think you are going to be working. You have to take work when it is available and last minute calls are often a part of a temporary agencies workload.

Travelling

You may be asked to travel further than you want to for a position. You will be asked at times to go places that you prefer not to go. That is good for those who enjoy travelling to different areas, but not for those who like to stay within a certain range of home. This is a big consideration if you are thinking about working for a temporary work agency.

Working for a temp service isn't all bad. There are great benefits to choosing to do so. Weigh your options carefully. If you have been unable to find a permanent job, it might be wise to look into a temporary work agency to get some money coming in. You may find that you like how a temporary agency works. You may also find the position that you have been looking for in a permanent situation.

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