Temporary Jobs, Temp Jobs and Office Jobs
Temporary jobs are not simply a means of gaining short term employment, but for many people constitute a career path known as 'temping'. In most cities and larger towns, employers have a need for temporary cover while office staff are away due to sickness, holiday, maternity leave, etc., and where the workload can't be carried by other staff. Temporary staff may also be needed during periods of short-term high workload.
Specialist recruitment agencies fulfil the need for temporary and permanent office staff. Temping agencies have a bank of administrative and secretarial staff on their books, who they match to temporary vacancies that arise amongst local employers. The agency pays the staff a set wage, which is then reimbursed by the employer. Placements normally last from a few days to weeks.
Many people like temporary office work because of the flexibility and variety it offers, as well as the freedom afforded by not having to work every week. It's also a great way to build up experience in different environments, meeting lots of people, but without risking being caught in an unpleasant job for a long time.
Temporary Jobs Sites / Office Jobs Sites.
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Nature of the Work
Most jobs on offer via temping agencies are secretarial or administrative, although some accounting jobs are occasionally available. Data entry positions are also available, either updating databases or entering survey results.
To gain regular work, it's important that you care able to offer the skills and qualifications required for the type of role you're interested in. Agencies will certainly test you on skills such as keyboarding and office software programs before sending you to an employer.
Secretary or Administrator Office Jobs
With the increased use of PCs in the workplace, there has been a blurring of the role of secretary and administrator. Exact roles depend on the size and nature of the company. Some staff in these roles function more as personal assistants, while others oversee all the clerical office procedures.
Key Aspects of Job Description
Secretaries and administrators work in a supportive capacity in offices of every industry. Duties can include some or all of the following.
- Typing up formal correspondence requiring formatting.
- Taking dictation.
- Preparing agendas for and taking minutes at meetings.
- Answering calls and emails, and responding to queries.
- Organising diaries: making appointments and travel arrangements on behalf of departmental and senior staff.
- Entering data into various software programs.
- Filing and retrieving documentation.
- Meeting and greeting visitors and associates.
- Managing office inventory.
- Drawing up invoices.
Type of Person and Training
IT and keyboarding skills are paramount in this role, particularly with standard office programs. A successful secretary has good communication and grammar skills. Being good at multitasking, their time management and prioritisation skills are second to none. They are able to work with a wide range of people, responding cordially in sometimes difficult situations. Discretion is a bonus. Team work is invaluable, as is the ability to work unsupervised as necessary.
School level qualifications and proficiency in written and spoken English are all that is required for an initial secretarial role. However, experience and a proven track record will be needed for temping work, with skills including short hand, audio transcription, telephone, computer, filing, and office administration.
Qualifications are frequently expected by temping recruitment agencies: NVQ, SVQ, City and Guilds, and Education Development International (LCCI) qualifications are standard. There are also various diplomas and associate degrees in business administration, secretarial studies or finance.
Executive Personal Assistant Jobs
An Executive PA's duties are fundamentally that of a secretary, but the role is dedicated to supporting senior managers, top executives, and directors of a company. A PA needs to have a more detailed knowledge of the executive's role within the organisation, as they'll be heavily relied upon. As a temp, the PA needs to have experience of a similar kind of executive function and company.
Key Aspects of Job Description
As in the secretarial role, the PA needs to have excellent computer, communication and organisational skills (listed above). General duties include:
- Office administrative tasks such as filing, typing, emailing and answering calls.
- Managing diaries and even organising private events in the executive's personal life.
- Completing more personal requirements of executives, such as shopping for birthday presents, running errands, collecting dry cleaning, etc.
- Preparing PowerPoint presentation material for meetings, seminars, etc.
- Transcribing notes and reports.
- Undertaking Internet research.
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Type of Person and Training
Successful PAs really do need to be excellent secretaries and administrators, being efficient, highly skilled and proficient. Hours can be variable and executives can be disorganised, so flexibility and tolerance are required. High levels of self-motivation and resourcefulness are required, as well as highly professional standards in work and presentation. While a cordial demeanour is important, assertiveness can be equally so, either with other staff members or the executive in question.
Temporary Pas need a qualification in business, management or administration. Some may even have a Bachelors or Masters degree, or an LCCI Private/Executive Secretarial Diploma.
Administration Assistant Office Jobs
Administration assistant is one of the entry level roles in the office. For temping work, greater professional experience is needed, with more advanced computer skills and understanding of office administration. While the role is not demanding, the ability to hit the ground running is essential - the more duties the temp can handle, the better. Experience in a certain type of company may be required.
Key Aspects of Job Description
The responsibilities of an administration assistant may include:
- Opening and sorting correspondence.
- Filing and retrieving documentation.
- Undertaking data entry.
- Answering and transferring telephone calls.
- Greeting visitors.
- Forwarding emails.
- Organising travel arrangements.
- Preparing postal mail.
Type of Person and Training
An administration assistant needs to be able to work on their own initiative, but also to take instruction from superiors. A professional manner and good communication skills are important. Organisation and accuracy coupled with good IT and keyboard skills are important. The assistant must be able to handle mundane tasks while remaining flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances.
The temporary assistant should have good school level qualifications, but will be best served with NVQ/SVQs in business and administration, BTEC qualifications, and the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL). Additional administration and finance qualifications
Temporary Jobs Sites for Office Jobs
The following recruitment agencies all specialise in temporary secretarial and administration positions and are leaders in the UK.
