Working with a staffing service can be just a paycheck, or it can be more. Your time in temporary employment positions is actually an excellent opportunity to build skills that employers today are looking for. What are some of these skills? And how can temporary work help you grow yours? Discover a few of the most crucial.
1. Teamwork
In unsettled and challenging times, every employer needs their staff to work together toward a single goal. So it makes sense that pandemic-era employers prioritize candidates who demonstrate that they can be that team player everyone needs.
Temporary positions give you the chance to work on various teams of various sizes and with various goals. Any of these experiences can be useful as interview anecdotes showing off your team-playing skills.
2. Leadership
At first glance, temporary work may not seem like a natural fit for developing leadership skills. After all, you may not be in a position very long, and it rarely involves formal leadership positions.
But you can still develop your own personal leadership abilities in many situations. Take the initiative on a project that the client hasn’t been able to finish. Learn about the company’s ethos and personality, then work to support it personally. Be there for your coworkers and temporary bosses when they need someone to go the extra mile. And ask how you can be of service to coworkers, then fulfill that.
3. Digital and Technical Skills
It’s a modern world, and those who are used to working with its tools will have a leg up against candidates who aren’t. How updated are your technological and digital skills? Can you use the most modern versions of common software? Do you keep up with developments in your field or industry? Do you consistently expand your knowledge base?
If your technical skill set could use some expansion, temporary positions are a good resource. This is because they involve different companies, different software and equipment, and different job positions. Look for opportunities to learn or update your modern skills at every client’s workplace. Let your staffing service know that you’re open to training and taking on new challenges.
4. Problem Solving
The pandemic years have created a whole host of new and ongoing problems for most employers. Whether with business downturns, shipping delays, overwork, or moves to remote work, employers have to constantly pivot to keep up with changes. And they need employees who can do the same.
Temporary positions are some of the best places to build your toolkit for solving problems. You face challenges that range from having to jump into a job with little preparation to learning new software to taking on unfamiliar positions and responsibilities. Keep these in mind for future reference in job interviews.
5. Self-Management
As the world moved toward a remote-first model and many employers have had fewer employees available, those employers need reliable people on board. How good are you at managing yourself? Are you on time for everything, prepared, and ready to work? Can you find answers to your own questions? Are you able to plan out a project, keep it on time, and complete it despite obstacles?
Make a point of using your temporary assignments to develop these good self-management habits. You might even choose something that you personally struggle with and make a goal of overcoming it before moving on to the next chapter of your career.
Could you use a refresher in any of these vital employment skills? If so, start by meeting with the team at Tulsa’s Green Country Staffing. We’ll work with you to help you become the best candidate you can be for today’s employers. Call today to make an appointment or complete an application online.
