The world of temp jobs is a tricky one to navigate. There definitely are demand for skilled temp workers to fill a sudden and short-term need within any organization.

Temp jobs generally pay higher than a regular job, to compensate for the instability of hours. Most temp workers are signed up with multiple temp agencies, some as many as double digits. However, temp agencies by nature cannot guarantee a full-time income, leaving most temp workers scrambling to make ends meet financially.

The benefits to being a temp worker are:

1. Flexibility. You work when you want to, and you can easily remove yourself should you choose not to work.
2. Per hour pay is generally higher.
3. Meeting new people and getting new challenges is always exciting.
4. Learning about different companies and what they do.
5. Making multiple connections that could lead to a permanent position.

However, there are several drawbacks.

1. Most temp workers only get 1 to 2 shifts a week.
2. Work tend to be entry-level types (e.g. administration, marketing, data entry etc), without ability to move ahead.
3. Typically no or very few benefits.
4. You have to make yourself available for potential work, leaving your schedule highly unpredictable.

The likes of Uber and Lyft have made temp work accessible to anyone with a vehicle. But if you don’t have a car, or prefer a different line of work, the options are more limited.

Most workers temp until they can find something more stable. Even part-time work is more preferential to temp work, as it guarantees a stable income.

On the other hand, temp agencies face the issue of high turnover and low reliability, as most workers will leave as soon as they find a more permanent position. This leaves the industry in the dire straight that we see today, with agencies and workers mistrusting each other, since workers do not trust agencies to represent their best interest, while agencies are constantly faced with no-shows from workers (and typically without any consequence).

There is no simple solution. To break the mistrust and rebuild the bond we have to satisfactorily address the concerns of both sides. Here are some suggestions we’ve heard from talking to both sides.

1. Temp agencies should make sure each worker gets the maximum number of weekly hours before signing on another worker.
2. Agencies can try to engage more with workers that already have a stable job, and is looking for additional income through a side hustle.
3. Agencies can help to provide a path forward with training, scholarships, and providing connections. Perhaps even a path to full-time employment. People tend to try harder when there is something to aspire to.
4. Workers help bridge the trust gap by committing to every job they sign up for, reducing no shows, and are guided by standard operating policies. A rating/review platform will also help add transparency and promote actions with consequence.

Have you been to an interview where you answered all the questions brilliantly, and you were about to consider the interview a success, when the person across the table throws out a gem likes this. “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Honestly what do they expect us to say? I’ll admit I had a few quips that came to my mind when faced with this question, none of which I’ve said out loud mind you.

1. In 5 years I’d like to be your boss.
2. I definitely wouldn’t want to be stuck here for 5 years.
3. Interviewing candidates to replace me as I’ve been elected President of the World.
4. The earth would have been destroyed by our supreme alien overlords, so it doesn’t really matter what I’ll be doing.

I know you’re supposed to say something that sounds meaningful like “In 5 years I would have made material contributions to take this organization to the next level”. But is this kind of canned BS response really telling you anything about the candidate? It shows she’s prepared (which is good), and full of sh*t (which is bad). At the end of the day it tells me nothing about her skills, qualifications, or personality. I would seriously question the culture of a company that bases their hiring decisions on these “soft” questions. Some other “winners” I’ve been asked during interviews were:

• Why do you want to work here? (Because playing Mario Cart while chugging Mountain Dew doesn’t pay the bills)
• Why should we hire you? (Honestly, you shouldn’t)
• What are your biggest weaknesses? (Stupid questions during interviews)
• Describe the teddy bear of the future. (It can fly, time travel, and shoot lasers out of its eyes. Am I hired yet?)

If you’re looking to flesh out more details about a candidate’s skills and experience, consider asking more relevant open-ended questions based on the candidate’s resume. For example.

1. Can you elaborate on how you were able to increase efficiency in your last role by 30%?
2. In your opinion, what is the best way to engage a team within a matrix organization, with different backgrounds and experience. How would you maximum collaboration?
3. If you were VP of Sales, what strategies or changes would you implement in the first 3 months?
4. What are the top 3 core competencies you value most for your team?
5. What was your most meaningful professional experience, and what was the take-away from that experience?

An interviewer is there to assess not just the qualifications of the candidate, but whether he or she will be a good fit to the company culture. There’s no point in hiring someone who just thinks fast on their feet, or has a canned answer prepared. Interviews should be conducted in a more open way, engaging all levels of the team, not just HR and the hiring manager.

It takes time to dig deeper and truly understand the person in front of us. What they can bring to the table, what interest them, what motivates them? We need to listen and understand, in other words, we need to treat them like a real person.

The Canadian economy has been a benchmark for the rest of the world ever since the Great Recession. We have a strong financial system, an educated worker class, and solid resources & manufacturing base.

However, November jobs data posted the largest job loss in the country since 2009, with unemployment rate jumping to 5.9 percent from 5.5 percent in October. Labour participation rate (the number of working age adults with jobs or actively looking for jobs) has also inched lower to 65.6%.

Coupled with a global slowdown and on-going trade tensions, what does this all mean for job seekers?

It’s yet unclear whether the global macro events will lead to another recession, however it is prudent to prepare in case of such an event.

Here are some common sense suggestions:

1. Top up your reserve fund. The general wisdom is to have 3 months of spending saved up. To be conservative, target 6 months.
2. Find ways to cut spending. Does anyone really need a $15 organic anti-oxidant enriched kale juice? Eat an apple instead.
3. Pay down high-interest debt.
4. Update your resume in case of layoffs.
5. Supplement your income with a side-hustle.

In today’s world, it’s not survival of the fittest, but survival of the most prepared.

The holiday season is upon us, and everyone is busy with shopping, parties and family gatherings. No one is thinking about hiring…or are they?

In fact, studies show that companies hire more people in January and February than any other month of the year. This is usually due to several reasons.

1. Hiring managers receiving their budget for the new year and therefore are able to increase headcounts
2. Employees wait for their Christmas bonus before quitting, hence the rush for exits in January, leading to a subsequent wave of hiring
3. Projects on hold during the holidays are now back in full swing, along with the need for people
4. Backlog of hiring from the previous year as hiring managers and HR personnel return from vacations

All of the above give someone looking for work more reason to pause festivities and start looking for work now. In fact, it is the best time to land a new job. According to Forbes magazine, the top reasons to job hunt in December are:

1. Less competition
2. Hiring managers are thinking about next year’s projects and needs
3. Greater opportunities for networking as most people are gathering for holiday parties
4. Lots of temporary work available around the holidays
5. Let’s face it, people are a bit nicer and feeling a bit more charitable during the holiday season

All the more reason to gear up your job search during the holidays. So what are you waiting for? Start your search now!