A temp relief for struggling job market

Individuals looking for some work experience alongside studies, or those finding it tough to bag a regular job, can now look ahead for some “temping”—temporary jobs where candidates are on payrolls of staffing firms, and not the firms they actually work for.

Companies in sectors like e-commerce, retail, hospitality and healthcare are looking at adding temps to handle their new or short-term projects.

Candidates in return can work with big firms on project basis for short-durations of 18-24 months, and make some quick bucks, as well as get some much needed job experience.

Experts say companies are hiring both graduates and undergraduates to work as attendants, for roles like data-entry, customer care, voice, in-shop, front-office, warehousing, packaging, technical support, and logistics.

“Individuals can get the exposure and experience of working with big companies, which in bleak scenarios like these, appear tough,” says Sangeet Lala, senior vice-president at Koramangala-based staffing firm TeamLease Services, that deploys temps to companies.

Moreover, with almost every company looking for candidates with prior work experience, temping is a good option for freshers, or those in the 0-3 years experience bracket, says Rituparna Chakraborty, vice-president, Indian Staffing Federation, an association of staffing firms.

“Temping is a stepping stone to a regular jobs. Often the companies temps work for absorb them later on,” says Chakraborty.

And the starting salaries of between Rs8,000-15,000 per month are a steal, given the low-hiring, low-hikes environment.

“The main criterion firms look for in their temp candidates is some basic communication and computer skills. So people who are graduates in any stream, as well as those still studying can apply,” says Lala.

Advising candidates to upload their CVs on job sites, experts say candidates should also be alert and quick in responding to job ads that talk of interviews and walk-ins.

Temps are seen as a strategy to safeguard companies against taking in additional manpower burden, since temps are not exactly on their payroll. This also allows companies to save 10-15% of their manpower costs as the pay, insurance, provident fund, etc, are all taken care of by the staffing firm.

“Thus the demand is high during tough times,” says Chakraborty.