In the short term, taking on a contract opportunity can keep you feeling engaged and valued whilst in between permanent roles, particularly if you’ve taken a confidence knock losing your job.
However, we often work with people who are sceptical about taking on contract roles, fearing they could miss out on a permanent opportunity as a result of accepting a temporary one.
But, this is quite often not the reality!
It comes down to how you approach the situation. If you’re willing to take an active approach to your job search and maintain open and honest communication with your recruiter your contract role can and will be managed in unison with finding you permanent employment.
On top of this, a contract role can bring a number of great benefits to your job search and future employment prospects. So, if you’re stuck at a crossroad deciding whether or not to accept a temporary role to help bridge the gap in your search for permanent employment, here are a few reasons why a contract role may be worthwhile considering:
A contract role can inject confidence and a sense of value back into your job search.
There is a lot of uncertainty and doubt that comes along with finishing up a project, receiving a redundancy or experiencing troubles with securing a full-time role, and our confidence can take a big knock as a result.
Besides providing you with financial stability while you’re in between roles, accepting a contract opportunity allows you to continue to put your skills to use and keep your mind and body active. This can help to alleviate any uncertainties you may be having and inject confidence and a sense of value back into your job search.
A contract role can help you to acquire new skills and facilitate your career progression.
Employers are often open to a broader variety of backgrounds and experience when they’re looking to resolve an immediate resource need, not find a long-term solution.
For you, this means a contract role provides you with the opportunity to gain exposure and experience in a position or project that may be outside of your current skill set had the role been a permanent position. For example, a Leading Hand filling in for a Foreman or working on a hospital project without hospital experience.
Along with experience in new projects and positions, you’ll also be able to expand your knowledge and skills to adapt to different types of software, methods of construction and approaches to work.
Gaining this experience can help to facilitate your career progression as you become more adaptable to changing environments and build a versatile set of knowledge and experience to bring to your future employers.
A contract role provides the opportunity to build your professional network.
Taking on a contract role will allow you to build your professional network by meeting a new project team and company. And you never know when having these contacts could come in handy!
If you take the role in your stride and perform well on the project, it could also mean you will be first in line when a permanent opportunity does become available within the company.
Contact our team on 07 3103 7777 to discuss our current contract opportunities, or view our latest roles here.
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