Make no mistake about it, no matter how grim you think the job situation is, jobs are out there. Employers and recruiting agencies alike are now trying to mask temporary work by wording it a little differently. The biggest one we've seen is the misuse and abuse of "part-time". Don't be fooled anymore, be skeptical of everything a potential employer tells you. Multiply that by 10 when dealing with job agencies.
Temporary employment will always be more available than a permanent gig, but most opportunities are roads that lead nowhere. Many companies have been under fire over the years for laying off temporary employees before the benefit date. If you're a job seeker looking for benefits, then you may already be familiar with that chase.
When you think about it, benefits really do dictate temporary employment. There are plenty of people out there right now working under an agency wearing the word "temporary" even though they've been at the job for years. Does that make it right? Of course not. The real question is, are you going to be one of them? And if you already are, when is it time to get what you deserve?
When you get a call for employment make sure you dig in the initial phone call with where the opportunity can go exactly without sounding desperate. Take heed of red-flag words such as "Part-time", "Seasonal", "Pro Tempore", "Brief", "Limited", "Shifting" and our personal favorite "Selective". Never leave an interview without a clear understanding of why they're hiring for this position, is the position necessary and if the position has something to do with the holiday season.
Careerbuilder, Monster and Indeed are all FULL of temporary jobs. Transparency is key to finding a fair opportunity for suitable employment. It happens to the best of us - We get a call for work, we get excited and tell everyone about it, then post interview we're because the job is not quite what we expected. If it's open ended and you have a real shot at making it work, then go for it. Just don't settle for less in this circus we call a job market these days.