Whether you’re fresh out of school or looking to dive into a new field, you’re no doubt excited about the prospect of starting your career. Who wouldn’t be? It’s a new road to travel.
Landing your first job in any field can be a bit tricky these days. Despite Canada’s unemployment falling to a low in 2017, there are still many people competing for the same positions.
If you can’t land your ideal career immediately, you should consider some temporary jobs. There are many good reasons to experiment a little before you dive right into your career. Here are just a handful.
1. Gain Experience
The largest barrier new graduates face is a lack of experience. Unless you’ve volunteered or worked a co-op position, you may have very little relevant experience in your desired field. There may be more experienced people applying for the same positions.
How do you gain experience if no one will give you a chance? One of the best answers is a temporary job. You can begin building relevant experience within your field by working a few related temporary jobs.
People who are looking to switch fields may also find this approach helpful. You have more work experience than a new grad, but it may not be relevant to the job you want. A temporary job can help you get the relevant experience you need.
2. Find Out What You Like
You graduated with a plan. You’ve decided on your future career, and you’ll work hard to get there.
Do you really know what it’s like to work in the field? It’s a problem for many new graduates. They land a job in the area they think they want to work in, then realize they’d much rather be in another industry or role.
Job seekers who are looking to switch careers already have this experience. They may be more cautious about jumping in with two feet since they’ve already made this mistake once.
Temporary jobs can help you avoid the situation altogether. Essentially, you get to test out and try on a variety of different jobs. This experimentation can help you discover your true passion, which in turn can lead you to better career choices on your journey.
3. Build Your Resume
In a competitive job market, it can be difficult to find a job. If you’re having trouble getting a foot in the door in your industry or you’re just not seeing the job you want come up, think about a temporary job.
When the market’s competitive, it’s much better to be able to show you have more work experience on your resume.
4. Earn Money
Temporary jobs are also paying jobs. It’s good news for new grads, who might be faced with the prospect of taking on an internship or other unpaid work to gain the experience they need. Temporary jobs provide a much better solution since you can gain experience and earn some money while you’re at it.
They can also help tide you over between gigs and help you earn money to stay afloat between one unpaid internship and another. While you’re at it, you might just find your true calling.
What are you waiting for? Add some temporary jobs to your job hunt and see just what they can do for you.
