Like most people, you might have a mental image of someone working as a “temp” as an individual who fills in at the last minute, most likely as a receptionist, the proverbial “Kelly Girl”. It’s time to evolve your thinking.
Without attracting a lot of attention, evolution has certainly been occurring in the staffing industry — especially within the nonprofit sector. Like its corporate brethren, nonprofit temporary staffing started with the need to fill last minute requests, the “one day assignment” to cover for someone while ill or on vacation. College students jumped onboard, using temp placements as an opportunity to gain visibility and to get the proverbial “foot-in-the-door” with preferred employers. Shift forward through a recession, add the evolving desire to create societal change, often after a long-career in the corporate sector, and you find high value, mid-career candidates increasing turning to nonprofit staffing firms for contract, temp-to-hire, and full time employment opportunities.
There are full time temp employees, complete with a benefit package. These candidates are experienced in nonprofit management, field ops, operations, HR, financials, and more. Nonprofit staffing agencies have responded to the changing market condition by becoming an advocate-for and the champion-of candidates as well as clients. The intense familiarity with the skill sets of candidates and client needs benefits both parties.
Kristy Lewis, Temp Services Manager with PNP Staffing Group, describes temp candidates as, “Very career driven. They have high skill sets, are educated and have great backgrounds”. Most clients — almost 70% — hope that the temp will ultimately become a permanent employee. Almost 95% of the candidates express a willingness to temp or request the temp process as part of the hiring process.
NEXT WEEK: The benefits you get—and the benefits you pay—for a temp employee.