The types of skills you will need as a temporary worker can depend on the types of jobs you would like to qualify for. If you apply for temporary work through a temp agency, they will typically interview you in order to determine your skill set and place you in an appropriate role. Basic skills such as typing, filing, and dictation can help you qualify for temporary office work, and many day laborer positions require no specific skills at all. If you are a skilled laborer, with experience in areas such as plumbing, carpentry, or mechanical repairs, then a variety of more lucrative temporary positions may be available to you.
Temporary workers typically perform unskilled labor, or basic office tasks, and can work in many different settings. Seasonal agricultural work, unskilled day laboring, and short-term office jobs are all roles you might find yourself in as a temporary worker. Since these positions all require different skills, there is no one skill set that you will need to have in order to get temporary work.
Before you start looking for temporary employment, you may want to consider the type of work you would like to do. Your existing skills and experience will typically dictate the type of work you qualify for, so brushing up on old skills and learning new ones can help you find better employment. In addition to specific skills, you should be adaptable, flexible, and capable of excelling in many different environments if you want to succeed as a temporary worker.
If you have no specific skills, but are in good physical condition, then you may be able to find temporary employment as an unskilled day laborer or agricultural worker. Prior experience in that type of work may help you find better paying positions, though experience as a skilled laborer is typically more valuable. If you have specialized skills, or experience in fields such as carpentry and plumbing, you may want to mention that to any temp agencies you work with.
In order to be placed as a temporary worker in an office, there are some specific skills that you may want to learn or brush up on. Temporary office workers are often called upon to perform jobs such as typing, filing, and taking dictation, though more specialized tasks can also be involved. As a temporary worker in an office environment, you will also need to show that you can quickly learn new tasks, so that each new employer will not have to spend an excessive amount of time training you.
