Whether you’re just entering the professional workforce or you’ve recently been laid off, finding your way into the job market can be a challenging task. It may be that you don’t have much experience other than your education, or just not the access you need in this competitive environment. An often misunderstood and undervalued entry point into a career is working with a temporary agency or staffing company. There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about staffing agencies, including low pay, only administrative jobs, short term assignments and lack of health benefits. That may have been the case in the past, but no longer. There are staffing companies for everything from CEOs to creatives to, yes, administrative workers, and not just temporary positions. It is truly one of the best ways to transition into a career position, and we’re highlighting 5 of the top benefits of temporary jobs and working with agencies.

1.  Temporary jobs provide a paycheck. We all need money to pay the bills, buy groceries, and have a little fun along the way! A temporary job, while sometimes short term, is still a solid source of income to get you by until you find that full time gig. Plus, once the assignment is done you can usually qualify for unemployment benefits in between jobs.
2. You can build and fill out your resume while expanding your skills. Temporary jobs are a great way to puff up your resume with legitimate corporate experience. This is extremely valuable if you are just out of school or making a career change. It also shows that you value the opportunity to work and aren’t just sitting around waiting for something to happen.
3. It’s a great entry point into a large company. Many large corporations have a limited budget number for full time staff positions plus additional funds for temporary and seasonal employees. If it’s a company you are interested in, it’s a terrific way to learn about them, find out if you really enjoy working there, and show off your stuff to the powers that be!
4. The agency is working for you and will represent you in the best possible light. The recruiters already have the relationships in place with HR managers, and thus have access that you couldn’t dream of having. They also know about job listings that are not advertised, including full time positions. When your resume comes directly from them to the client, it automatically invokes a sense of respect.
5. Working as a temporary employee gives you more flexibility. Many folks out there don’t want or need a full time job, but need a somewhat steady income to supplement their family budget. Working as a temp allows you to work when you want and take time off when you want, without fear of losing your job. When you’re just starting, you may want to take on as many assignments as you can get to prove yourself, but once you’ve successfully completed several jobs, you can begin to be a bit more choosy.