A temporary job is excellent for those who need some extra money while maintaining a flexible schedule. A temporary position is an employment arrangement for a specific period. Usually, temporary jobs are for a particular project or collaboration, and companies want to recruit individuals with relevant experience suitable for their needs.
This may happen when a permanent employee is out for parental leave or on a sabbatical. There are also times when companies hire temporary workers during difficult holiday or economic periods because a part-time worker costs less compared to hiring regular, full-time employees. If you’re interested in the wide range of temporary jobs available to you, keep reading.
How Much Does a Temporary Job Pay?
According to Glassdoor, the average pay for temporary workers is $38,167 per year. Temporary workers’ job roles include customer service, management consulting, virtual assistants, servers, and bartenders.
While a temporary job mainly includes part-time work with long hours, many professions request workers with previous work experience in that field. So, if you have a college degree or advanced degree relevant to the position, you might get a higher starting pay or potentially transfer to full-time employment once the part-time job contract has ended.
How to Get a High-Paying Temporary Job
There are advantages and disadvantages to being in a temporary job. Even though the benefits and pay for temporary positions aren’t the same as a full-time employee, you can still get a chance to get a high-paying part-time job. Read through the steps below to find out how.
Step 1: Search Job Boards
You can search on the Internet, check social media pages, and network to find out if any temporary jobs are available. Some temporary jobs might require a high school diploma or college degree.
To find a temporary job suitable for you, find a company with job openings that match your previous experience. Even if they’re advertising entry-level work, they may offer workers high pay for part-time work.
Step 2: Prepare Your Resume
Put some time into developing your professional resume. Check if all the details are correct and include keywords from the job posting. Include your previous job titles and some of the daily job duties completed at your last place of employment. Mention relevant experiences and skills you have that will help you in this temporary position. Make sure to include your contact information.
Step 3: Submit and Wait
Once your resume is ready, submit your application and wait for the hiring manager’s response. In the meantime, keep your lines open and learn new skills that would help you along your desired career path. You can also use this extra time to apply to other high-paying temporary jobs. Grow your skills to see that you are a top candidate for the position.
What Temporary Jobs Pay the Most? The Highest-Paying Temporary Jobs You Should Consider
No matter what your busy schedule entails, numerous temporary jobs are available for you to apply for online. Though finding one at first may be challenging, plenty of high-paying options are available to temporary workers. Below are some popular jobs that pay the most for part-time hours.
Software Engineer
As a software engineer, you’ll develop and implement web applications and backend services. Your task is to create software solutions and generate helpful flowcharts, diagrams, and layouts to visualize data. Another part of your job is to improve operations by conducting system analysis.
Registered Nurse
- Average salary: $83,055
- Job growth: 9%
- Companies hiring: Krucial Staffing, Rite Aid, Aperion Care International
For this position, you’ll provide care to patients and educate them about health conditions when needed. As a nurse, you’re expected to have CPR certification and know nursing medical practices and procedures.
Electrical Engineer
Your job duties as an electrical engineer require you to use your knowledge of materials and electricity to build electrical systems, equipment, and devices. You’ll oversee the manufacturing of designs and conduct research programs if needed.
Human Resources Specialist
- Average salary: $64,531
- Job growth: 10%
- Companies hiring: Omni Logistics, Santa Clara Family Health Plan, Tristar Insurance Group, Inc.
For this position, you’ll be asked to work generally in a company’s human resources department. You may also work in recruitment or professional training. For recruitment, you’ll be screening and interviewing candidates if they can proceed to the next step of hiring. You must have excellent people skills and organizational skills.
Computer Programmer
As a computer programmer, you will write codes to build software programs. You’ll also be in collaboration with software developers and engineers. As a computer programmer, you should know how to effectively use CSS, Python, and HTML5.
Operations Manager
As an operations manager, some of your job duties include leading a team and taking part in developing, implementing, and reviewing operational policies and procedures. You might oversee budgeting, planning, reporting, and auditing. You’ll also help resolve problems and maximize opportunities for the company.
Accountant
- Average salary: $50,539
- Job growth: 7% percent
- Companies hiring: Ledgent Finance & Accounting, JBC
As an accountant, your job duties include examining financial records, checking if they are accurate, and ensuring that taxes are paid on time. You might also perform audits and record transactions to analyze data.
Editor
As an editor, you’ll review and proofread articles for the content team of the company you work for. You’ll be the one overseeing the content and you should know the trends that will bring in a wide audience. You’ll also be assigned to educate writers on the best practices and give feedback to improve their writing.
Carpenter
- Average salary: $42,366
- Job growth: 2%
- Companies hiring: Vassar College, University of Central Missouri
As a carpenter, you’ll work with wood to create products. You may be the one installing doors and stairs, and installing molding and hardware. You should be good with measuring, cutting, and designing wooden pieces. You should also be knowledgeable with lumber selection and be able to liaise with clients.
Data Analyst
- Average salary: $41,380
- Job growth: 20 percent
- Companies hiring: Kelly, iRobot
As a data analyst, you collect and interpret data to help solve problems. Most of your job duties include collecting data through online surveys or tracking website analytics. You’ll also design the structures of a database and find patterns and trends.
Best Temporary Jobs: Top Companies that Hire for Temporary Jobs
There are a lot of companies looking for candidates to fill temporary job openings. It could sometimes feel overwhelming to find the best company, especially one that offers a temporary job. Below are some companies you can try to explore.
- United Airlines: This company is considered the world’s most comprehensive route network because of its modern fuel-efficient fleet. Positions they offer are storekeeper, customer representative, flight attendant, and technician.
- Massachusetts General Hospital: This hospital is Harvard’s Medical School’s teaching hospital specializing in cardiology, cancer, heart surgery, neurology, and endocrinology. Temporary positions they offer include clinical research assistant, laboratory assistant, and research coordinator.
- Colgate-Palmolive: This global company serves 200 countries with its consumer products. Jobs they offer include HR business partner, training coordinator, and product analyst.
- Pfizer: This company is known worldwide for its scientific advancements. They collaborate with healthcare providers, governments, and local communities. Positions they offer are metrologist, technician, and technical writer.
- Randstad USA: This company is the leader in the engineering services industry. The company is active in 38 countries around the world. The website is user-friendly and allows you to search for jobs based on contract length.
Where to Find a Temporary Job
If you’re interested in becoming a temporary worker, many online platforms are available to look for jobs. Since the hiring process is primarily conducted online, you’ll be able to find temporary employment on numerous websites and platforms. Check out the list below to see which one can work best for you, so you can start applying for that temporary job right away.
Upwork
Upwork is a freelance website where clients post jobs. The great thing about Upwork is you’ll be able to see that the position is temporary or just needed for a specific time frame. You can specify your preferred hourly rate on your profile, so candidates already know how much your services are worth. There are a lot of jobs in fields like marketing, data entry, graphic design, and transcribing.
Indeed
There are a lot of niches and types of jobs on Indeed and you can filter results to meet your needs. There are positions in the human resources, marketing, and food service industries. Through Indeed, you can sign up for job alerts to be notified once available positions are posted online.
LinkedIn is a popular professional social media website and job search board. Similar to Indeed, you can filter your job search results and create job alerts when a relevant position opens up. You can find temporary gigs with flexible hours.
Skills Required to Land Your First Temporary Job
Temporary jobs are not limited to one industry and each sector has the technical skills required for you to land that job. Below, we’ve compiled some of the skills you’re expected to have as a temporary worker.
Communication Skills
Having excellent communication skills means both strong writing skills and interpersonal skills. Even for a temporary position, you should be able to communicate with others and write simple emails to your colleagues or bosses.
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Problem-Solving Skills
Sometimes, you might handle difficult topics or tasks that you’re unfamiliar with for temporary jobs. As an efficient temporary worker, you must think out of the box and solve problems when they arise. You’re able to show that you can be independent and creative in looking at situations from different angles.
Leadership Skills
Possessing this skill doesn’t mean that you have to be in a supervisory role. This means that you can encourage and empower your teammates when you have to. You can set a good example by completing your tasks on time and submitting reports before your deadlines.
Can a Coding Bootcamp Help Me Get a Temporary Job?
Yes, a coding bootcamp can help, especially if you’re interested in working in the tech industry. Bootcamps help students learn more about coding and learning programming languages like SQL, Python, and Javascript. Bootcamps are also intensive and short-term, so you’ll be able to understand the skills you need for your temporary job in no time.
Is a Temporary Job For Me?
If full-time positions sound like too much for your busy schedule, then there are plenty of temporary jobs available for short-term employment. Like any other job, make sure to check the qualifications and requirements the employer is looking for before applying. A temporary job is great, especially when you have clear career goals.
Temporary Jobs that Pay Well FAQ
While it depends on your level of experience and the hiring company, software engineers are some of the highest-paid temporary workers. You can refer above to see which other temporary jobs pay well.
A temporary job has its own challenges and opportunities, but as long as you have the right skills and qualifications, you’ll be able to handle any task given to you. The job might be hard at first, just like other jobs, but as you adjust, you’ll get more comfortable over time.
Yes, a temporary job can become permanent. If you perform well during your time working in the temporary position, the company will likely be interested in hiring you if they have the capacity to do so.
The total length of time for your employment depends on the client or company. For example, if the company hired you for a holiday job, your work would end after the holiday shopping season. At times, the job will run for a month to a year. Sometimes, the employer would ask you to extend the part-time position.
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