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Working with a temporary staffing agency can be a productive way to stay current with your skills while landing a great job with a dream company. However, one must not go blindly into this type of assignment without first getting more information from the temporary employer.

6 Questions to Ask Before You Take a Temp Job

As part of the hiring process, you may be given the opportunity to interview with the temp employer and this gives you a chance to ask some questions. But, what should you ask? Here are some guidelines for getting the information you need as a temp worker.

#1 – Is this a temporary assignment or a temp to perm assignment?

One very important question you will want to have a clear answer on before you accept a temp job is what you can expect in terms of the duration and future of the job. Some assignments may be short term, meaning you should be looking for something permanent by the time this contract ends. Others may be temp to perm, which means you may be eligible to come on as a regular employee at some point in the future.

#2 – What are the detailed requirements and tasks for this job? 

Before you accept a temporary assignment be sure to fully understand the requirements that you will be held to. It’s important to ask this question during the interview because employers will sometimes present one job list to the staffing agency and yet they will have different sets of tasks or requirements that they will expect from you on the job. Ask for a print out of the job requirements and pass this along to your temporary recruiter for any clarification issues.

#3 – Are there any special attire or equipment needs I should know about?

For some temp jobs you will be required to wear special attire, such as protective eyewear, shoes and even uniforms. It’s important that you understand what the requirements are before you accept the position. Why is this important? In most cases, as a temporary employee you will have to purchase and use the special equipment on the job. Temporary agencies are not responsible for providing you with these items, however they may reimburse you for some of the expenses you incur as a result.

#4 – Will there be on-the-job training or supervision offered?

While many temporary jobs involve simple skills at the entry level, there are some jobs that will be required special skills in order to succeed. One of the questions you will want to ask before you take on a temporary assignment is if there will be on the job training or supervision provided. This can actually be helpful to your career because you will have the opportunity to learn new skills while you earn a paycheck. Ask about this and make sure that you can handle the training that is offered.

#5 – Can you tell me a little more about the goals for this assignment?

This may seem to be a bit of an awkward question to ask at first, however understanding what the goals are for the temp assignment can help you to be more successful. You may want to reference this question as you go over the job requirements list. Ask the recruiter what the outcome or objectives are for the job. This can help you to also appear as a very proactive candidate that will spur the employer to make you an offer on the spot.

#6 – What are some ways I can be successful in this temp job, from your perspective?

Seal the deal with this question. When you ask an employer what are some of these qualities that they’re looking for in a successful temporary employee, it puts the ball back in their court. You gain valuable insight of what the company’s goals are, as well as how you can be productive as possible as a temp employee. In many cases, this will help you as you settle into your new job and you start to become accustomed to the workplace culture and new tasks.

Want to learn more? Explore important recruitment and employment topics by reading a few popular posts from TempStaff, a leading temp staffing agency in Jackson MS!

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