Will 2024 Grads have the Temperament for Temping?

I love this time of year when college graduations introduce a fresh wave of early-career talent into the workforce. When I graduated during the mid-90s’ lackluster job market, many recent grads turned to temp jobs to get their foot in the door. That's how I landed my first staffing agency job in Baltimore and then had the pleasure of placing a few longtime friends into temp jobs that launched their own careers.

When I founded Schechter Reed in the D.C. area, we relied heavily on college students to temp during school breaks and loved it when they graduated and came back to us for placement. We offered resume support, interview best practices, and guidance on the job market. In exchange, recent grads were loyal, reliable, and eager to prove themselves.

However, things shifted along the way and recent grads seemed to turn their nose up at temp jobs. The strong job market created competition for early career candidates and recent grads were wooed by training programs, perk-filled benefits, and higher starting salaries. Then, Covid forced offices to temporarily close, and available temp jobs plummeted by 33.6% (more than one million jobs) as a result, according to American Staffing Association.

With the current job market in a state of flux, offices reopening, and companies embracing the on-demand appeal of the gig economy, temping is taking center stage again. Projections from SIA and ASA suggest that temporary staffing jobs will grow by up to 5% in 2024. I hope that newly-minted college grads, grappling with career indecision will recognize the advantages of temping as a means to gain invaluable experience.

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