Non-Traditional Work

A third of the American workforce is "non-traditional," meaning they work part-time, have temporary jobs or are self-employed. Volunteering is also nontraditional work: you don't get paid but you gain other benefits, such as experience and contacts. While nontraditional work is a way of life for some, for others it's a temporary measure and a great job-hunting tool.

Temp Work

Temping means that you work in a position temporarily-from one day to one year. You actually are employed by an agency that sends you to other companies to work. These days, some companies only hire employees who begin as temp workers.

Benefits

Temping offers many benefits:

• Variety of job types and activities
  
  
• Opportunity and challenge of learning in new settings
  
  
• Flexible schedule / choice about whether to work
  
  
• Wages while job hunting
  
  
• Opportunities to make more connections
  
  
• The "inside line" on obtaining a full-time job

Downside

For many people, temp work has several disadvantages:

• Meager, if any, benefits (e.g., insurance)
  
  
• No security — temps are the first to be let go, often with little warning
  
  
• Little real flexibility since turning down assignments may limit the work you're offered
  
  
• Boring assignments

Volunteering

Like temping, volunteering is a way to try out a job or type of work before you commit yourself to it "permanently." It also provides a way to make connections outside the employment arena.

To maximize the benefits, devote at least 100 hours to each volunteer position to show that you are committed and not just dabbling.

Free Agency / Self Employment

Free agents are temp workers who skip the "middle man." Instead of going through a temp agency, you approach a company directly and offer to work on a temporary basis.

Benefits

As a free agent, you are self employed, which means you:

• get to be in control;
  
  
• may earn more than you would with a temp agency.

Downside

Free agency does create some disadvantages. You have to:

• file as self-employed, withholding your own taxes;
  
  
• be very motivated: if you don't make yourself work, you won't get paid!

Résumé Considerations

Describing your temping, volunteering and free agency work on your résumé when you try to find full-time "permanent" employment can present some challenges.

• If you're a temp worker, you can present yourself as employed by one company: the temp agency. Or you can group similar jobs. Or, if you worked at one assignment a long time, list that as the employer but do indicate that you worked there through a temp agency.
  
  
• If you're a free agent, you can simply write "self-employed" and treat it as you would any other job.
  
  
• If you did volunteer work, list the skills and accomplishments you gained in the EXPERIENCE section of résumé rather than the VOLUNTEER WORK section. The latter is really optional and designed to show that you are well-rounded.
  

For more information about nontraditional work, select Texas Job Hunter's Guide at www.cdr.state.tx.us/counselors/jobhuntersguide/index.html