There might be some irony in the fact that temp jobs in Southern Ontario are growing at a much faster clip than permanent positions. Over the past twenty years or so the number of temp workers increased by about 50% while full-time traditional roles went up by only 33%. Employers suggest they save money and reduce their risk by bringing in help when they need it to supplement their existing workforce. But you might be surprised to find that temp-to-hire employment models as well as temporary staffing also holds real benefits for job seekers in Southern Ontario and across Canada. What is temporary work and how can temporary job recruiters help your job search? What benefits can you anticipate from taking on these jobs? As a leading temp staffing agency in ON, we have answers—and some of them may surprise you.

What is Temporary Work?

Temporary work is different from full-time employment, certainly, but it’s also different from part-time positions that you make undertake. Here are some key differences between a temp job and a part-time position:

• Temp jobs last for a pre-determined amount of time, typically three, six, nine, or 12-months.
• You can get hired for a temp job by temporary job recruiters or by the employer directly. This determines who will pay you for your work. If you’re hired by a temp staffing agency in Southern Ontario, they’ll pay your wages.
• Typically, temp workers have few benefits.
• A part-time job is a permanent position usually, but it just has reduced hours.
• Part-time jobs typically come from the employer, not a staffing agency.
• Part-time work is typically less than 40-hours a week. In a temp job, you may work the full workweek but the duration of the contract could only be for a few months.

One of the key differences between temporary and full-time work often lies in the company that hires you. What role do temp staffing agencies in ON play in helping you land a temporary job?

What is a General Labour Temp Agency?

A temporary employment agency in Ontario works to find and hire workers to staff temp jobs for employers. Temp agencies are also called staffing agencies. Most often, temporary job recruiters work in one sector; for example, HCR Professional solutions specialize in light general labour jobs, but there are temp staffing agencies in Ontario that specialize in many other professions such as healthcare or retail.

Temp agencies have a very special relationship with employers who outsource their need and management of their temporary workforce to these staffing companies. Employers enter into a contract arrangement with temporary staffing agencies to find talent. The benefit for the talent is the work the staffing agency does on your behalf is completely free.

Why would an employer need temp workers? The reasons vary by the company, but generally:

• To fill in for full-time employees who are sick, on maternity leave, or on vacation.
• To cut down on employment and benefits expenses and generally save money.
• To fill in and add volume to their workforce when the work is extremely busy. Typically, we see this for seasonal buying patterns or for big but short-term contracts in the light general labour industry.

The benefits of a temp workforce may be obvious to employers, but why would a job candidate consider a temp job in Ontario?

What are the Benefits of Working as a Temp?

The Canadian government has this to say about temporary employment, “Temporary employment can…provide employees with greater flexibility, experience, skill acquisition, and knowledge diversification.” They confirm that the growth of temp jobs has surpassed traditional work, with 2.1 million Canadians working in a temp job in 2018, which almost doubled from the prior year.

If you’re considering temporary general labour jobs, there are several benefits. You can:

• Find a job more quickly.
• Increase your resume skills.
• Have more schedule flexibility.

Find a Job in General Labour Faster

If you need a faster way to get hired, a temp job is the way to go. Temporary employment agencies in ON have a ready-made list of placements that are waiting for you to get to work. Working with temporary job recruiters means you’ll be able to find a job more quickly with less hassle than trying to find something on your own. Temp jobs also help you earn money more quickly. Many of these contracted positions pay weekly and the pay is decent, and sometimes outstanding, depending on your skills. In addition to the pay, temp jobs often offer benefits through the staffing agency.

Build Resume

If you lack experience and are trying to build out your resume, a temp job is perfect to add lots of experience quickly. One huge benefit is you not only build your social network and gain skills, but you also get to figure out which company to target for full-time work down the road if that’s of interest. A temp job helps you understand the culture of an organization. We know it’s risky to take on a full-time job; temp work can help you experience different cultures to figure out where you might want to land later on. It can even be a way for you to try out a new career.

A temporary general labour job, for example, can help you understand if you’d even want to work in the field—without the long-term commitment required by a full-time job.

Flexible Schedule

Temp jobs put you in the driver’s seat. You can work on a flexible schedule when you want or need the paycheck. You can take the summers off or add a job during that time. You can work hours that fit your schedule, such as a third-shift job at night to accommodate school or another job.

What About Temp-to-Hire?

Within the category of temporary jobs lies the temp-to-hire employment model. It’s a “try it before you buy it” approach that has many of the benefits of temp work but also offers the option for employers to make the job permanent.

Temp-to-hire employment includes a contract that lets you renew the commitment at the end of the arrangement or allows the employer to offer you a full-time permanent position. In this way, a temp-to-hire is kind of a long-term job interview where you hold the keys to what’s next on your career path.

What are the benefits of temp-to-hire employment? For the employer and the employee, you can both evaluate the position and your place in the company to determine if it’s a good fit. It’s a great option for lessening the risks associated with taking a new job or taking on a new employee.

For temporary workers under these contract arrangements, we have a few tips that can help you move toward the offer of full-time employment—if, of course, that is actually what you want to do.

How Can you Make a General Labour Temp Job Permanent?

Temp-to-hire employment models come with some tricks related to how you can potentially make the job go full-time:

• Make connections as part of your job processes.
• Take the initiative for tasks.
• Show that you want to be there.

Make Connections

A benefit of a temp job is that you can make connections that help your social network but also may help you land the job full-time. Don’t be a fly on the wall, but instead, engage with others, ask questions, and show them what you’ve got as an employee. Forge some relationships there even if you think you might move on in the future. Use this employment model to your advantage and build some bridges with people that may help you in the future.

Take Initiative

Step in and step up. After a period of learning the systems, are there opportunities for you to make some suggestions for improvements? Do this in a way that isn’t offensive, meaning, make positive suggestions to help your team but don’t be a know-it-all. You should also keep learning as part of any job you’re in. Sometimes that’s the whole point of a temp job!

Show Enthusiasm

Do your best in the job. Stay proactive in your approach toward getting things done. If you decide you want to take advantage of your temp-to-hire employment contract and become permanent, show the employer that you can make it happen on the job. Offer to help others on the job and make sure you stand out as an eager, active, and engaged worker. This will increase your chances of landing a full-time position later on. That is—if you decide it’s what you want.

Find a Temporary General Labour Job with HCR

Today HCR is one of the top temporary staffing agencies in ON. Our temporary job recruiters are highly skilled at matching employers with the best candidates. We can help you find the role you’ve been searching for. If you’re looking for temporary general labour jobs or considering a temp-to-hire employment model, we can help you find exactly what you’ve been searching for.

Contact us today. We can help.