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A Bit of Pollyanna
"Stop being such a Pollyanna," a trusted, more experienced colleague counseled as we took the long route back to my office. He had just witnessed my project idea annihilated as co-workers eagerly argued why my idea wouldn't work, where it was...
Kill the Hype
She was waiting for me when I returned from a meeting. Standing outside my office door, I could tell by her downward glance, Jodie was not there to give me good news on the project. Despite her confident, enthusiastic and definitive style, she...
Ten healthcare fields that can't wait to hire you.
Healthcare is one of the hottest career fields in America today. The aging and retiring of the largest population segment in the country, known as “baby boomers”, has left the healthcare industry racing to find enough employees to fill the void....
The Four Laws Of Leadership (part Two)
Summary: The best leadership is motivational. But the author contends that most leaders misunderstand motivation. Here are four laws of motivation that will help you be a better motivational leader. In this second of two parts, the author expands...
The Hidden Job Market: Real Or Imagined?
The hidden job market has been touted as the place to go if you want to find the best jobs. It’s been said that this sector of the job market accounts for seventy-five percent of all the job openings out there. If that is true, then what we see in...
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Should You Seek Temporary Or Contractual Employment While Searching?
According to US Department of Labor statistics, the average time to find employment is roughly six months. It could take as little as four to six weeks, or as long as ten to twelve months, or longer. Several factors determine your time to placement:
? Degrees
? Current state of employment
? Age
? Level of experience
? Level of salary
? Type of position you're seeking
? Level of position being sought
? Desired salary level
? Location
? Industry
? Your resume
? Your interview skills
? Networking effort
? Degree of career transition
No one knows how long they will be unemployed. Even a person with sufficient funds to last their entire period of unemployment may still want to consider a temporary or contractual assignment as an interim solution. The loss in income can have an unforeseeable psychological impact. Other concerns that need to be addressed include:
? Loss of confidence
? Losing familiarity with day-to-day responsibilities
? Boredom
? Creating employment gaps in the resume
? More expensive health benefits
? Minimal professional interactions
? No opportunity to convert a temporary position into a permanent one
The rule of thumb is: if you have been searching unsuccessfully for two months and find yourself no further ahead than when you became unemployed, I would encourage you to seek temporary employment or a contractual assignment. More and more people are engaging in this type of activity, including former CEO's. In fact,
there has been a twenty percent increase in the number of people working part-time since 2001.
The steady rise in temporary employment and contractual assignments is a definite indicator, not only of the state of our economy, but of things to come. Employers are realizing the many benefits of hiring temporary and contract employees. They don?t have to go through all the screening and interviewing that is typical for permanent employees; they don?t have to pay benefits; they can try out a person without any obligation to hire if it isn?t working out; and they can convert a temporary or contractual employee to permanent status once the person has proven themselves.
At this time, there is a coupling of two factors: employers are seeking more people for temporary and contract jobs that used to be strictly for permanent employees, and job seekers are taking longer to find permanent employment. It would appear that temporary employment and contractual assignments represent ideal solutions.
Copyright ? 2005 TopDog Group All rights reserved.
About the Author
David Richter is a recognized authority on career coaching. His extensive knowledge and experience gained from many years in recruitment, outplacement and career management has allowed David to formulate powerful strategies anyone can use to secure interviews and receive offers. David holds Masters in both Engineering and Counseling Psychology. Visit David's site for free tips, strategies and other career resources http://www.procareercoach.com
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