The Hidden Step
www.necouncil.org/the
hidden
step
Temporary and Contractual
Opportunities are the Future
Temporary and contractual jobs are on the rise. As
companies focus to become more competitive in a
global economy, the ability to maneuver becomes es-
sential.
There was a time employers hired employees and
invested in their skills. The job eventually became a
long-term career. As rapidly as technological land-
scapes change, companies have to remain quick on
their feet. They have changed their model from a
long-haul freight train to a feet of nimble and respon-
sive Ferraris.
Consequently companies have eliminated hierarchies
and turned them into horizontally structured teams
with team leaders. And they have learned to remain
competitive by being ready to take the turns respon-
sively. They hire temps with specifc talents when
they need them, then replace them with other temps who have a new set of skills
when technology shifts their business model. This has been the cost-effcient way
when fghting for a competitive edge.
Temporary and contract jobs are
on the rise. And this trend may
be here to stay. According to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 19.5
percent more temporary work-
ers were employed in September
2010 compared with the same
month the previous year.
Melanie Holmes, vice president of the staffng agency Manpower says: “It’s not
just a recovering economy that’s leading to growth in the number of temporary
jobs. The nature of work is changing. Because of technology, we’re able to work
STEP TWO
Identify Your Career Path
“
.
It’s not just a re-
covering economy
that’s leading to
growth in the num-
ber of temporary
jobs. The nature of
work is changing.
Because of technol-
ogy, we’re able to
work anywhere, at
any time, and not
just from home or
from Starbucks, but
from India
.
”