Tis the seasonal work
Temp work. Contract-to-hire. Seasonal gig.
For those in the job market, these phrases often provoke hesitation. That’s because one of the top reported considerations for traditional job seekers is job stability. But as we all know, the year 2020 has been anything but traditional. When unemployment hit its peak of 14.7 percent in April, job seekers were forced to alter their expectations when searching for work. It’s estimated that roughly 23.1 million Americans were either laid off, furloughed, or displaced due to the effects of COVID-19. Mix in the 40 percent of companies that implemented hiring freezes, and you’ve got yourself a pretty large surplus of talent looking for a job.
Seasonal and contract roles function as a life-saving solution for those that are looking for immediate work. Contract opportunities often offer many of the same perks as full-time positions. Though perks differ from company to company, access to technology, job flexibility, and commission opportunities are among the most common. Individuals actively seeking work are recognizing the relative similarities. A 2019 report found that about 25-30 percent of workers in the U.S. are currently a part of the contingent workforce, and that number is likely to reach 40 percent by the end of 2020.
Another great thing about contract-to-hire positions is that companies are usually looking to hire multiple employees for the same role. That means interviews and total turnaround time is usually pretty quick – perfect if you are looking to avoid gaps in your resume! If you are a hard worker and put in the extra amount of effort into your job, managers are sure to quickly take notice, and opportunities for advancement are likely to present themselves. On average, nearly one third of temp workers are offered a chance to convert to full-time employees once their contract has expired. At the beginning of the pandemic, Amazon hired 175,000 contractors to help with the influx of online orders, and in June, 125,000 of those were converted to full-time employees. Not too shabby in a pandemic and global economic crisis!
We recommend applying right away the next time you come across an attractive contract role! These positions are often similar in scope and benefits to full-time positions. Furthermore, there’s a good chance that the role will open doors that you never even realized were there.