Could a temp assignment cure your career blues - Viewpoint - careers advice blog Viewpoint careers advice blog

Could a temp assignment cure your career blues - Viewpoint - careers advice blog Are you feeling stale or bored in your existing role? Do you need to refresh your career or find a new challenge? If so, a temporary assignment could be the solution to curing your career blues. Temporary assignments can give your career a boost just when you need it. By undertaking a temporary assignment you gain experience in new areas, develop new contacts and boost your confidence.   You work with new groups of people, in new organisational cultures and often in new industries. This will reinvigorate your career and help you determine your next move. A lot of people also use temporary assignments as their route to a permanent job. While some see temporary assignments as their ideal lifestyle choice, others use them as stepping stones to permanency. Either way, if you’re feeling stale in your current job a temporary assignment could provide the challenges and career boost you need. The good news is that the number of temporary and contract opportunities is increasing as this form of work becomes the new normal in workplaces. So how can one of these assignments help you get your career back on track? Giving a confidence boost: If you are feeling stale in your current role, your confidence can take a hit. It’s not uncommon for people in this situation to question if another organisation would want to employ them. A temporary assignment will get you out of your comfort zone and each success will lift your confidence. Adding immediate value: An employer will set defined outcomes for each assignment. Given the short-term nature of temporary assignments, your success in achieving each outcome allows you to add several quantifiable results to your CV in a short period of time. Quickly providing work: With 21% of employers expecting to increase their use of temporary and contract staff this financial year (according to the 2016-17 Hays Salary Guide), assignments are available and can be secured much faster than permanent roles. Extending your experience: Temporaries are sought to work on special projects, fill in for absent staff or add expertise to a team. These assignments expose you to a wide range of systems, solutions and ideas, allowing your expertise to grow. Expanding your network: Temporary assignments allow you to rapidly increase your network. But this involves more than increasing your LinkedIn connections. By working with people in your field you stay up-to-date with the latest trends, hear about relevant job opportunities, receive endorsements and even find new referees. The next time your career needs a boost or you want to expose yourself to new systems, workplace cultures or ways of working, or even see what working in another industry is like, consider a temporary assignment. The flexible nature of this form of working means you can dip your toe in the water to broaden your horizons rather than dive right into something that may not be right for you or your career. Hopefully you found this blog post useful.  Here are some other articles which you may enjoy: How to stay motivated during your job search 8 signs you’ve been in your job too long 20 questions to ask yourself before starting your job search How to get the most out of job fairs How to deal with a mid-career slump Never let yourself get too comfortable Share this blog: