What Are The Benefits of Being a Temp in the Accountancy Market?

 I joined HRC Recruitment as a trainee last year, having never even heard the words “temp desk” before. Not only did I find myself getting to grips with the intricacies and nuances of the Accountancy & Finance world, but I also had to learn all about the world of temporary contracts. It has been a steep learning curve, to say the least. Some people may well place a reduced value on a temporary role, as they think it entails instability on behalf of the company and a lack of long-term planning on behalf of the candidate. I was perhaps guilty of thinking along these lines before starting this role and fully getting to grips with how temp contracts work. However, the experiences I’ve had in the Accountancy temp market so far have shown me so many upsides to this style of employment. Why do temp roles exist? Companies can have many reasons to open a temp vacancy. Most businesses have cyclical requirements - the time of year and wider economy influence workload requirements – so temp employees are ideal to fit these short-term needs. Some temps can play business cycles to their advantage, targeting businesses' seasonal peaks to transition from one role to another. Businesses also have workload increases due to short-term projects or periods of change. Temps help to meet these requirements and have a great opportunity to create an impact in the business and in their career. On the candidate side of things, temping is a great way to build up experience and experience several different working environments without the constraints and pressures of holding down a full-time, permanent job. Short-term employment can open up so many doors, or it can simply be a way to keep dipping your toe in employment in a way that suits the other demands in your life. What are the benefits of being a temp candidate?

• Temp jobs can get you back to work quicker - If you’re looking to get back into the workforce as quickly as possible, temping is usually the best way to go. Similarly, new graduates may find it best to enter the professional world through the temp route. You can often find temporary work quicker than a permanent role, too, as there tend to be fewer temp candidates out there on the market.
• Temp to perm conversion – Some candidates may not know this but the rate at which temp employees go on to stay at the company on a permanent basis can be surprisingly high. Companies often bring in employees on an initial temporary basis as an extended trial period before offering the perm role.
• Develop new skills quickly – The barrier to entry in a temp role can often be lower than a permanent role with the same job spec. Use this to your advantage to get into a certain industry or to brush up on a specific skills set.
• Flexibility around lifestyle – I speak with many candidates who do seasonal work such as being an adventure guide in the summer and running payroll over winter. Some people like to travel as much as possible and enjoy the short notice periods of a temp role when they decide to jet off.
• Build networks – An excellent advantage of temping is being able to experience many different industries and work environments. In this respect, you can sometimes gain a decade’s worth of experience in a couple of years as a temp. You will be able to build relationships with more people, which will serve you well throughout your career.

Temporary work only captures a small portion of the employment market but holds so much potential for people looking to get back into work, grow their experience or work flexibly. If you’d like to hear more about the temporary opportunities within HRC or just want to chat about the market, get in touch with me - jblair@hrcrecruitment.co.uk.