If you are working in any kind of secretarial position and you are party to hearing all kinds of rumours, office gossip and even witnessing a bit of office politics going on, then the best way to impress your boss is to stay out of office politics!

Office politics really is a thorny issue. At its best it wastes time, since people can end up playing office politics instead of doing their jobs. At its worst it ends up with people feeling alienated, isolated and like they are not part of the team: in other words it is almost a subtle, or not so subtle form of bullying or harassment.

Staying aloof from office politics may not win you any prizes for collaborating with your colleagues, but on the other hand, your manager, if she is of any worth, will recognise the fact that you do not get embroiled in the childish games in the office and will respect that and as a result, respect you as well.

Some people think that it does not matter if they are doing a temping job, since they are not permanent, but it could well be that management would like to appoint a permanent member of staff and if they see that you are good and that you do not play games at work, then they are more likely to want to appoint you as a permanent member of the team. Secretarial jobs can be hard for employers to fill, so they are looking for people with the right skills, qualities and attributes to make a good contribution to the team, so you can fulfill their needs by simply being good at your job, but ignoring all the office politics and leaving childish games where they belong: in the playground. This will impress your boss and could well lead to a permanent, not just a temping role.

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Do not assume that just because you are a temp, that you will be working in an office answering the phone and making the boss’s tea. No, there are literally hundreds of different types of temping jobs available. The word ‘temp’ means temporary, i.e. you will not be awarded a permanent contract, but that doesn’t mean that the work is actually menial. You can do lots of things from working in advertising, media, TV, radio, to being a specialised temp, for example, working as a Quantity Surveyor or a manager. You could even work as a surveyor, or a bricklayer, or a carer, cleaner or you could even work in accounts.

In fact the number of temporary jobs is constantly rising, since many employers are fearful that the recession means that they cannot take people on with a  permanent contract, so getting a temp in means that the job will be filled, but without the cost implications of a permanent contract.

In the ‘good old days’ temping jobs were very much seen as a second class job, but those days have gone now and many professionals like to work on a temporary basis, because they enjoy the variety, meeting new people and learning about how work is done in different ways, according to the procedures of different companies.

People often use temping jobs to meet their needs, whether they are a student, can’t decide on what to do or they are a writer or an actor who wants to make ends meet until their big break comes up.

If you don’t believe that the world of temping is as diverse and exciting as portrayed here, then just talk to any recruitment agency, who will be able to assure you and help you realise that there is a world out there waiting for you and what is available really is fantastically diverse. 

Tags: Advertising Media, Boss, Bricklayer, Class Job, Different Companies, Different Ways, Job Types, Jobs Available, Media Tv Radio, People, Quantity Surveyor, Recession, Recruitment Agency, Tea, Temping Job Types, Temping Jobs, Temporary Jobs