10 Things to Look for When You’re Hiring Someone for a Temporary Position
When you’re hiring someone for a temporary position, your requirements are going to be different than when you’re hiring someone permanently. This doesn’t mean that you have to settle for someone who is not as qualified or as educated.
You can still find someone highly qualified who is getting back into the field after a break or someone who prefers to take on temp assignments with breaks in-between rather than working continuously. It all depends on the person’s preferences and what their needs might be. For you, the thing to keep in mind is that you can get everything you want and more in someone who is working for you temporarily. Here are some of the things to look for:
1. Education
Most office jobs require you to have at least a Bachelor’s degree. So you should require your temps to have this qualification. If you’re hiring someone in an administrative position, they can have a Bachelor’s in any field. But if you need someone in accounting or finance, you can look for someone with a Bachelor degree in a related field.
2. Work Experience
The amount of work experience needed varies depending on how much responsibility there is in the position. It’s always good to have someone overqualified rather than under-qualified. Speak to your placement agency about how much work experience you think your temp should have.
3. Flexibility
Temporary placements require the candidate to be flexible. They have to be available during the hours when you need them. And they have to fit in with your office culture, at least for the short period of time when they will be working with you. Make sure this is the case before you hire someone for a temporary placement.
4. Efficiency
Even though you are hiring for a temporary position, you still need someone who will be able to get the job done in time. If the person has the requisite education and work experience, then it’s likely that they will be efficient too. But this is not always the case. So consult with your placement agency to make sure they find you the right person.
5.Professionalism
Just because someone is a temp doesn’t mean that they can get away with dressing casually,not being punctual or behaving in a rude or unprofessional manner with their colleagues. Everyone must know the basics of professionalism to be able to work in an office environment.
6. People Skills
People skills may not be important in every office position. For example, if someone is in accounting, then they will mostly be working on their computers. But it still helps if they have basic people skills and can talk in a pleasant way with coworkers. If the person is in an administrative position, then people skills become even more important.
7.Reliability
Even if someone is just going to be with you temporarily, they have to be someone you can trust. You don’t want someone who is going to steal company secrets and sell them to your competitors. Neither do you want someone who says they’re going to do something and then forgets to do it.
8.Computer Skills
Nowadays, you can’t really work in an office without basic computer skills. So you need someone who knows their way around a computer. And if you need them to be familiar with certain software's, then you can speak to your placement agency about this.
9.Language Skills
Are the majority of your clients English-speaking? Or do you have a number of clients who speak Spanish, Chinese or some other language? Speak to your placement agency if you would prefer to hire someone who is fluent in a language other than English.
10. Innovation
If you run a creative business, you might need a temp who brings an element of innovation. For example, if you run an advertising agency or a fashion house, it’s best to hire someone who is interested in these fields and can fit in with the overall zeitgeist of your company.
Contact us for more information about hiring someone on a temporary basis for your company.
