If you’ve spent time temping, you might wonder whether employers see it as a positive on your CV or simply as a series of short-term roles. Our experience is that temporary work can demonstrate some highly valuable qualities, particularly for PA and EA positions where adaptability and initiative matter.
You’re used to hitting the ground running
When you join a company on a temporary basis, you rarely have the luxury of months to settle in. You need to understand what’s expected, get to grips with new systems and start being useful quickly.
That’s a valuable skill for any employer.
Your experience in temporary PA/EA jobs in London can show that you’re comfortable walking into an unfamiliar environment, asking the right questions and getting on with the job without needing constant direction.
You can adapt to different environments
Every organisation has its own culture, processes and personalities. Temping gives you the opportunity to experience a variety of them.
You may have supported a traditional corporate environment one month and a fast-moving start-up the next. You might have worked with senior executives with completely different expectations and communication styles.
This variety can make you particularly adaptable. Employers know that someone who has successfully navigated different workplaces is likely to cope well when priorities or circumstances change.
You’ve worked with lots of different people
PA and EA roles are all about relationships. You might deal with executives, colleagues, clients, suppliers and external contacts within the same day.
Temping can give you experience of working with a wide range of stakeholders. You learn to read a situation, adjust your communication style and build professional relationships quickly.
That ability to establish trust without having years of history with an organisation can be a real advantage.
You’re comfortable with change
Temporary work often means dealing with uncertainty. A booking might be extended, a role might change or you could suddenly be asked to take on something that wasn’t part of the original brief.
Rather than seeing this as a disadvantage, employers can view it as evidence that you’re resilient and flexible.
It also demonstrates that you don’t necessarily need everything to be familiar before you can perform effectively.
You’ve probably seen more systems and processes
Moving between organisations can expose you to different software, administrative processes and ways of working.
Even if you haven’t used an employer’s exact systems before, you can demonstrate that you’re experienced at learning new ones. When applying for temporary PA/EA jobs, this can be particularly useful because employers may need someone who can become productive quickly.
Make sure you highlight this on your CV. Don’t simply list the systems you’ve used. Explain how you adapted to new processes or used your experience to improve the way something was handled.
Temping tells an employer something important
Ultimately, temping can demonstrate that you’re someone who can walk into a new situation, work out what needs doing and add value.
That’s particularly relevant to PA and EA work, where priorities can change quickly and you’re often expected to anticipate what needs to happen next.
So, if you’re looking at temporary PA/EA jobs in London, don’t try to downplay your temping experience. Think about what it has taught you and, more importantly, what it demonstrates about how you work.
Find business support, PA and EA jobs with Love Success.