Have you heard of temp agencies? They are located in most cities and they provide opportunities for temporary work. These can be as simple as filing paperwork, answering phones or being someone’s assistant. It’s not hard work, but it’s not particularly interesting. You don’t take it so you can be inspired. Rather you take it so you can just get started.

To get started you submit your resume online to the agency and they follow up with a call. You may go in person to interview with them and share your experience and what you’re interested in. They might have a gig right away they could set you up with or they would call you for various things that come up.

There is temporary only and temp to perm. Temp to perm allows the opening for the chance for the relationship to go somewhere beyond just temporary work. If they like you, they might want to hire you after at least six months of temporary employment. Some are just for a few days.

If you’re really interested, keep calling them back and see what new opportunities they have that week.

When I moved here I immediately got hooked up with a temp agency. I got placed at a commercial real estate company answering phones. It was such dull work. I was paid $15/hour and for NYC that’s pretty low for an expensive city like New York. But it allowed me a confirmed income where I could count on for a few weeks at a time. I smiled at the people I worked with, kept the coffee machine stocked and placed Staples online orders constantly. I was them for six weeks filling in for someone on disability. And they liked me. I took pride in the boring work.

When my time was about to come to an end, they introduced me to different people in the building who might need my talents. After all, they are a commercial real estate co so they rent to everyone in the building. That’s how I got hooked up with a production company who could see my potential. I started freelancing with them shooting and editing and soon enough they were able to hire me. BAM. My first full-time job.

You don’t know where those opportunities will come from. You just have to take a chance. Temping allows you an income as you are looking for a full-time job. You’ll learn how to schedule meetings and send emails and learn an office culture. And if you make mistakes, the stakes are low. Temping allows you the freedom to keep looking for the full-time thing. Who knows it could turn into something full time. All you have to do is just try.

Ready? Go Kick ass in your career.

xx

Laura