Would you like to have a long job interview with people who would love you on sight, who would get to know you and your work, whom you would be able to evaluate and who would pay you for the privilege?

That's what temporary jobs are about. As a temporary employee you get to know as many companies and industries as you want to sign up for, make lots of contacts and work with people who may eventually hire you if you like each other. They will all be predisposed to like you, because temps come in to solve problems and everyone is glad to see them. And since no one expects temps to do a great job, you'll really impress them if you do.

The pay is pretty bad—although, contrary to popular belief and what the agency may tell you, you can sometimes negotiate—so you don't want to quit your day job to do it. But if you're between day jobs, it can be a great way to network and get paid for it.

Professional temping
In fields like accounting, programming or technical writing, temping—or contracting, as they politely call it—is widespread and even pays decently. Some people in these fields actually prefer temping to full-time employment, especially if their spouses have health insurance. It gives them freedom to run their own lives.

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