Temporary or contract placement allows you to choose when and where you want to work. The duration of these assignments can vary, they may last one day or several months. We have seen the business environment has become very competitive, more and more companies are turning to contract placement of staff to fulfil their business needs. Temporary assistance may be required for special projects, peak working periods, urgent situations and various employee leave of absence needs.
Why Contract Placements?
- When I think of contract placement the one word that stands out to me is flexibility. It is one of the biggest advantages of contract placement. Flexibility means working for the type of organisation you want when you want.
- It allows you the freedom to choose what projects you want to work on.
- How fast you want to advance your career.
- Choosing the work schedule that benefits you.
- By working in contract placements you can gain a wider range of work experience within different organisations.
- It gives you the opportunity to gain experience in a sector that you may want to change career path in.
- If you have experienced a career break contract placement is a great way to get back into the workforce.
Another benefit of working in a temporary role means you get paid for every hour you work. There can be times in a permanent role you are required to work extra hours without additional salary but in a temporary role these are paid to you. Working in a temporary role is a great way of checking out the company. In some cases candidates take a permanent role and it’s just not what they thought it was going to be, this is where you can turn “it is only a temp job” to your advantage. It proves to employers how flexible you are. A big advantage of working in a temporary role is that many of the temp jobs can turn permanent. It gives you the chance to test drive the job without making the long term commitment of taking a permanent contract.
Contract workers have the right to equal treatment in basic working and employment conditions, some of these include
- The duration of working time, breaks, public holidays and annual leave.
- Hourly rates
- Access to facilities such a childcare and parking
- Must have access to information about permanent employment opportunities
My Top Tips for becoming a temp
Registering with The ICE Group: We will invite you in to register with us. There will be some forms to fill out asking about your previous employment history and your personal details. In some cases we will want proof of your nationality and work permit if you have one.
Take the test: If you are applying for general office work we will ask you to sit a skills assessment. These assessments test your knowledge of certain Microsoft office packages and typing speeds. It will indicate your competency, if you feel you need to improve we can refer you our Pitman Course Advisor who may identify a course for you to complete that will improve your skills and increase your eligibility for employment check out our Pitman Training courses.
Look the part: Make sure you look smart. Remember, not only are you representing yourself but also the recruitment agency. Check out Aileen’s Blog for “do’s and don’ts of interviews”.
Final touches: Make sure you have your reference details readily available for your recruitment consultant. If you don’t this can delay you from starting an assignment.
Flexibility: With temping jobs it can be a very fast turnaround. In some scenarios you may be required to start the next day. Also, once an assignment is completed your recruitment consultant may have another assignment for you to start straight away so be prepared to chop and change at short notice. Additionally, based on positive feedback from recent assignments you may be asked to complete an additional assignment.
A full list of Permanent and Temporary positions currently available through ICE Group is availably by clicking on the sector you are interested in from the home page or by performing a search. Alternatively you can contact us today to speak to a Recruitment Specialist.