Amid uncertainty about the current employment situation in the United States, many Long Islanders are finding contingent labor to be a viable method of getting their foot in the door for full-time employment.
The most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report serves as cause for cautious optimism as unemployment fell to 7.4 percent. Even so, the amount of jobs added was about 23,000 fewer than what was originally reported, according to Time magazine. While it seems as though the American labor force is expanding, the fact that numbers were not as expected is discouraging news for those still seeking employment.
This does not mean that there are no opportunities available. According to Newsday, a number of people are finding jobs through contract labor. Between July of 2009 and July of this year, contract employment has grown by 54 percent, despite overall job growth only increasing by 4.5 percent during that same span of time.
In the past, such employment has been seen as only temporary and unrelated to building a career. This is because many companies do not want to take on full-time employees at the risk that the economy will turn downward again.
However, in Long Island, contract labor is being used as a stepping stone towards more full-time employment down the line. In June, the region has 92,200 unemployed workers, meaning that these contract positions are creating valuable opportunities for those faced with having no job at all.
The news source explains that many of these positions can allow people to move from contract labor to full-time after workers have gained experience and companies feel comfortable making these hires.
Some of the staffing agencies that help people find employment provide training on the site where the workers are placed. Many companies have been seeking out these alternatives to temporary staffing, as they can help them find laborers who know what they are doing - without having to delay their operations to provide the training themselves.
