Which is Better – Temporary, Permanent or Part-Time Jobs?

Broadly, there are three types of employment – permanent, part-time and temporary. However, no one type of employment is right for everyone. So, understanding each job would help to make a better decision.

So, let’s dive into it.

Permanent Employment

A permanent job means a type of employment where you work on the payroll of either the company or a third-party company. The working hours are typically at least 40 hours each week and working days vary from company to company.

Temporary Employment

Typically a temporary job means employment for only a certain amount of time. This is also called seasonal employment. The duration of temp employment can be for a few days, a few weeks or even a few months.

Part-Time Employment

Part-time jobs typically involve at most 30 hours of work each week. But unlike temp jobs, the duration of part-time employment is indefinite and varies according to your employer.

To understand which type of employment is the right fit for you, let’s weigh each employment type by its pros & cons.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Permanent Employment?

Advantages

• Permanent jobs offer additional benefits such as health insurance and even dental insurance.
• Offers greater financial security than temp and part-time jobs
• Offers better peace of mind as you don’t have to worry about finding the next gig
• If the performance is excellent, the permanent employee can climb up the corporate ladder
• Permanent employees can advance their careers and get increments every year

Disadvantages

• The permanent job can feel monotonous after a certain period of time
• Can make permanent employees feel stuck in the same job, performing the same activities each day
• If the company culture is not good, the perm employee may have an unhealthy work-life balance

What Are the Pros and Cons of Temporary Employment?

Advantages

• Temp employees are not under contract to work for a single employer at a time
• Temp employee may get a job extension than the agreement
• Can easily reenter the job market and get a job elsewhere
• Greater flexibility than permanent jobs
• Mostly you can decide your own hours

Disadvantages

• Temporary employees don’t have any guaranteed salary
• They might not get a job extension and may not find another job quickly
• No guarantee of getting a part-time or permanent position after the completion of the contract
• Temp employees don’t receive any additional benefits
• May not qualify for paid leaves and other perks

What Are the Pros and Cons of Part-Time Employment?

Advantages

• Part-time employees have the best chance at better work-life balance. With fewer hours each week and lesser working days in a week, they can re-energize easily
• Can try different types of gigs without having extensive experience
• Can truly know the company’s culture without actually committing to it
• May get a permanent role
• Unlike temporary jobs, part-time jobs are typically for indefinite periods

Disadvantages

• Part-time jobs, similar to temp jobs, do not offer additional benefits; which is a great benefit for full-time jobs
• There’s no job security as the employer may only offer employment till the contract is over or till the goal is reached
• If the performance is not good, the employer can easily let the employee go as they don’t make big investments in them
• In some cases, part-time workers may be kept “on-call” to work without guaranteed hours

Choosing the right type of employment is crucial to making your career successful. At times you may get more benefits from part-time jobs or temp jobs may make more sense, and other times, permanent jobs would seem like the best choice. So, before coming to a conclusion, evaluate your overall situation.