As someone who has used temp jobs and free-lance work many times to get myself to a better job, I am a huge advocate of the power of this simple no-risk-to-either-side method of getting yourself noticed - and maybe even finding a new job.
A temp job can come in handy when you’re between jobs and just need a little income. But they are also a great way to try on a job for size. And there are even times when you can propose a temp or free-lance situation to let an employer try you on for size.
If your job search is stalled, a temp job may very well be the answer!
Today I found this article by Kate Lorenz of CareerBuilder.com that makes this point nicely:
How to Make Your Temp Gig Permanent
In addition, I’d like to share one of my own posts that tells you some of the adventures I’ve had with non-routine ways to find new opportunities and get myself to a better job. These do come with a warning: Should you choose to try any of these methods, you may wind up in places you never imagined! And furthermore…each new path opens up other new paths. Enter at your own risk of a new career:
20 Simple Tips to Help Move Your Career Ahead
Clearly, I have not always taken the traditional path and, in part, that’s one of the reasons i can relate to so many of your experiences. 
In fact, I’m here now, in part, not because of my MBA, but because of some of the temp jobs and free-lance work I took to help jump-start my career at various points in my life.
But temping isn’t the only answer to make that happen. In this post, I talk about temping, but also many other ways to jump-start your own career:
12 Ways to Jump Start that “Impossible” Job Search
Good luck making good things happen for you and your career!
8 responses so far ↓
1 Terry B // Jun 26, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Temping can be a real win/win for everyone. Companies frequently use temps to test drive potential new hires for a position. In fact, some temp agencies will list certain jobs as temporary-to-full time. For people looking for a new job, temping is just as much of a test drive; you get to see what the company culture is like before committing to a position.
2 Ronnie Ann // Jun 26, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Thanks Terry B! Nice comment…as always.
Note to my readers: Terry works in a creative industry and speaks from strong personal knowledge. Both temping and free-lance work are very viable routes to that job you want.
But the real secret sauce here is you and how you wow them when you get the chance. Like Kate Lorenz says in her article, think of it as an extended job interview.
Ronnie Ann
3 Alvin Lim // Jun 26, 2008 at 8:11 pm
that’s what i told mosto f my friends who couldn’t find the job they wanted.
go out, lower down ur requirements, get a job first and plan from there. it’s better than sitting at home doing nothing. if u stay idle for too long, u’ll become lazy and ur future employers might question u for idling for so long.
everything has to start somewhere…maybe for some people, it’ll start from the temp job. who knows?
4 Ronnie Ann // Jun 26, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Eggs actly! And it even helps not to think “lower” but just different. Changes a person’s whole attitude, if you know what I mean.
Nice to see you, my cyber-pal. Glad your blog and your art work are humming along.
Cheers!
Ronnie Ann
5 Dataceptionist // Jun 27, 2008 at 12:27 am
Eek I know I could walk into Temp work as an admin type person, but I’m just too worried I wouldn’t get regular work and we couldn’t pay our mortgage!
I’ve always really liked the idea of temping though, and trying your hand at things you might not otherwise get the opportunity to try.
6 Ronnie Ann // Jun 27, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Hi Dataceptionist!
Oh…I hope people don’t think I’m telling them to quit their jobs and go temp! A regular job can be a very useful thing.
But if a person is miserable in their job, out of work, or looking to change careers, temping or finding free-lance work can be a ago answer.
Would be fun if we could live alternative lives and stay in our safe mortgage-paying jobs while also trying a whole bunch of different things, wouldn’t it?
Ronnie Ann
7 Dataceptionist // Jun 29, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Sure would Ronnie Ann.
And no, I didn’t feel like you were advocating chucking in their job and temping LOL
I think it just struck a chord in me as I’ve thought about it occassionally
8 Ronnie Ann // Jun 29, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Ah! I know those chords well.
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