If you’ve been offered a temporary job interview – congratulations!
Interviewing for a temporary position can differ from interviewing for a long-term or permanent position. The next step is to prepare for your interview, which includes practising the answers to some hypothetical temp job interview questions your potential employer might pose. You can also prepare some interview questions of your own to ask an employer to suss out if a temporary position is the right fit for you.
Employers and temp agencies want to find out what skills their potential temporary hires can bring to the role, if they are a good fit, and if they can quickly adapt to the work environment.
If you’ve not worked in a temp role before, you might be interested in reading our complete guide to temporary work.
In this guide, we'll cover important questions to ask temp employers to thoroughly understand the role, company culture, and potential career development. We'll also provide sample answers to common temp job interview questions so you can anticipate what to expect and craft compelling responses that increase your chances of landing the position.
With the right mindset and preparation, you can position yourself as an ideal temporary candidate and use the interview process to determine if the role is a suitable stepping stone for your career goals.
Common Job Interview Questions and Sample Answers
1. Why are you interested in the role?
Example answer:
“I want to forge a career in the legal sector, and I believe this role could help me fine-tune my existing skills while learning new ones. My interest was piqued by the value you place on client relationships, as well as your innovative business model.”
2. Describe an instance when you had to adapt to a new situation quickly.
Example answer:
“In my previous role at a small startup, the office manager had to leave at short notice. There was a big client coming in for a meeting I had to prepare for, but as nobody else was available, I also had to make calls to suppliers on behalf of my manager. By prioritising what I had to do, I was able to handle the situation until my manager returned in the afternoon.
3. Describe a time when you had to manage a stressful workplace situation. What did you do?
Example answer:
“While working as a temporary EA at a property brokerage, the power went down 10 minutes before I was due to deliver a presentation to a client. This meant I couldn’t deliver the presentation using the AV equipment in the meeting room. Fortunately, I had the slides on my phone, so I was able to deliver the presentation without the visuals and focused on providing more verbal context to make up for it.”
4. Why do you want a temporary job?
Example answer:
“I’m due to start a part-time university degree in another part of the country in September, so I didn't want to commit to a permanent role at your organisation. If I’m successful and the opportunity arises after the 6-month contract comes to an end, I’d be interested in working for you remotely, part-time.”
5. What’s your availability like?
Example answer:
“I’m available to start work in one week. My schedule is quite flexible, and I can work standard office hours or evenings.”
6. What skills can you bring to the role?
Example answer:
“After working as a receptionist at various firms for two years, I’m confident in my communication skills and ability to collaborate with other team members. My experience as a temp has also exposed me to different processes and software systems, making it easy for me to ‘hit the ground running’.”
7. What are your key motivators?
Example answer:
“I’m incentivised by having responsibility for my work and doing the best I can to succeed. Although I enjoy having some autonomy over what I do, I’m energised by being part of a collaborative team and learning new skills from others.”
8. Would you consider accepting a full-time permanent position down the line?
Example answer:
“I would be open to a full-time permanent role at your organisation. Your company’s values align with my own, and your workplace is somewhere I think I could really develop, grow and reach my career goals. I love that you offer your permanent staff training opportunities!”
We also have a guide on turning your temp job into a permanent position, which will be helpful if this is your ultimate objective.
Questions To Ask At A Temp Job Interview
1. What is the company like to work for?
A solid first question would be to ask about the organisation as a whole. An overview of the company will allow you to find out what they do, their goals, company ethos and culture and how they see your role fitting in with the broader picture. It is important to find out if the company is somewhere you can see yourself settling into happily, can give you the support you need and how they treat their temporary workers.
2. What are the main duties of the role?
A simple but significant question to ask in an interview is what your key tasks will be. A prospective employer will be looking for your enthusiasm about the role and working for the company. When the interviewer goes through the job description with you, it will allow you to give clear examples of when you have successfully done similar tasks and prove your worth while also letting you know if you have the right skill sets and experience for the role. Review our PA and EA job descriptions for a headstart on what your responsibilities should be.
3. Will there be opportunities to take on additional tasks?
Another question to ask a prospective employer is about scope. Asking about the scope of the role is vital if you are looking for professional development or more variation. Although it is always necessary to keep on top of the core duties, some companies can give you extra projects to work on once you have settled in and found your feet.
4. Will there be on-the-job training?
A good job interview question to ask a potential employer is about the training provision. Many temporary employees want to add to their skill set and keep up to date with their existing ones. Even if you are a highly experienced PA or administrative candidate, most companies have their own way of doing things, and a good handover or training session can be necessary for a smooth transition from one employee to the next.
5. Will there be other potential opportunities coming up within the business that might suit me long-term?
This is a good interview question to ask a prospective employer if you’re looking for a temp-to-perm opportunity. However long your temporary assignment is initially for, unless this is just a quick stopgap, it is always a good idea to ask if there is any possibility of staying on at the company after the temporary position ends. There are no guarantees of this at the interview stage; however, it is worthwhile to know in advance if there are likely to be any openings further down the line. It will also highlight your long-term interest in the company to the hiring manager.
6. What do you consider to be the greatest challenges in this temporary role?
This is another excellent question to ask in an interview and will allow you to suss out if there have been any problems with this role previously. Different employees find different things challenging, and it is good to know about any strong personalities that will be sat within your team, how deadline-heavy the role will be, how much support you will be given and what your workload will be like throughout your time there. This will help build up an accurate picture of the role, helping you decide whether it’s the right role for you.
7. What has your time here at the company been like?
It is always a good idea to build rapport with the hiring manager and ask them about their experiences at the company. Ask what made them choose to work there and what has made them stay. Hearing a potential colleague speak passionately about their workplace is always reassuring.
8. What’s the next step?
This is an important question to ask a prospective employer at the end of any interview, and their reply will give you a strong indication of how successful you have been. Do ask what the intended start date is for the role and how many other candidates are going through the interview process. If you are unsuccessful, brush yourself off and focus on the next interview that presents itself. It’s essential to consider how to be a stand-out candidate if unemployment rates and competition are high.
Tips for Preparing For a Temp Job Interview
Research the Company Thoroughly
As with any job interview, do your homework on the company you're interviewing with. Review their website, read recent news mentions, and get an understanding of their core business, values and culture. This knowledge will allow you to speak more convincingly about your interest and fit.
Highlight Relevant Temporary or Contract Experience
If you have prior experience working in temporary or contract roles, highlight this during the interview process. Discuss how you were able to get going quickly, adapt to new environments and deliver results in a short timeframe. Provide specific examples that demonstrate your flexibility and ability to hit the ground running.
Enquire About Their Onboarding Process
Ask what the typical onboarding and training process looks like for temporary new hires. This shows your interest in being set up for success from day one. You can also ask how temporary staff are integrated into teams and company culture.
Convey Your Enthusiasm for the Opportunity
A hiring manager may have concerns that a temporary employee will be less engaged or committed than a permanent hire. Therefore, it's essential to convey your enthusiasm, interest in learning, and motivation to make a positive impact, even if it's for an interim period.
Ask About the Potential for Extension or Permanence
If one of your goals is to turn the temporary opportunity into a permanent position down the road, don't be afraid to inquire about that possibility during the interview. This will allow you to establish realistic expectations.
Looking for a temp job in London?
We hope you’ve found these temp job interview questions useful.
If you’re looking for a new temporary administrative position in London, you’ve come to the right place. As a temp agency, we work on behalf of our clients to recruit temporary admin staff, PAs, office managers, receptionists and HR assistants. Search our available temp jobs today. If you’re a hiring manager, check out our hire a temp page.
