by Doreen Martel

Created on: October 24, 2010   Last Updated: May 07, 2012

Temporary employment may be classified in various ways.  Some people use temporary work to help them between jobs, others use temporary work to help them "feel" out a particular field of work and of course there are those "day labor" jobs which may also be considered temporary employment.  There are pros and cons of temporary employment, it is not for everyone. Some people have enjoy temporary work while others do not. Here are some of the pros and cons of temporary employment that you may not have considered.

Temporary work earnings

While temporary work may be slightly erratic, in some cases it may pay better than a traditional permanent job.  The pros are that you have some control over your earnings with temporary work.  You can accept or refuse assignments based on what they are paying. On the con side however, your earnings may be less than you wish them to be if there is no work available in your field.

Temporary work and lack of opportunities

Some people prefer to work temporary work because of the flexibility that it offers them.  While the pros of temporary work is that you are less likely to be "stuck" in a role you do not like, temporary work opportunities may not allow you to fully take advantage of potential promotion opportunities.  Temporary work is often a "one of" type of position, where you are filling in for people on maternity or vacation leave.

Temporary work and your benefits

Today, most temporary agencies fortunately offer a benefits package. The pros to this mean that you do not have to worry as much about medical and life insurance.  The cons to this are that you have to work at least a minimum hours per month in order to qualify (and/or pay) for these benefits. This does mean that you have to plan more carefully.

Temporary work versus self employment

A pro to temporary work versus self employment is the tax situation. Most temporary agencies pay via W-2 income. The con of this is that you may feel more restricted when deciding to accept or reject an assignment. Some people who are self employed may elect to do temporary work to help minimize their tax burden and this can be a benefit.

Summary

There are pros and cons of temporary employment just as there are pros and cons with nearly every type of employment. Some of the positive aspects of temporary employment may mean that for some, it is more palatable than collecting unemployment or being self employed.  There are some people who prefer temporary work due to the flexibility and other pros of temporary work. It is up to each person to carefully weigh the pros and cons of temporary employment and make their decision based on what works best for them.

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