Latest / The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry / How a Career Gap Helped One Parent Return via a Temp Agency
Transcript
- Lucas: When Maria stepped away from her marketing director role to stay home with her kids, she figured she'd be back in an office within two years. Six years later, she was staring at a job market that had moved on without her. Luna: That's a familiar story for a lot of our listeners. What did she do? Lucas: She went through a temp agency. Not a high-profile return to work program, not a consulting gig — just a temporary staffing firm. And it worked. Luna: I think a lot of people dismiss temp work as just data entry or filing. But it's actually a pretty smart on-ramp, especially if you've been out for a few years. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the angle today — how a temp agency can be a strategic re-entry tool, not a fallback. Maria's case is really instructive, but first, a quick note. Luna: Sure, go ahead. Lucas: If this show has helped you think through a career move or decision, we keep it ad-free because listeners like you chip in a couple of dollars a month. It genuinely makes the difference — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, it's a small thing that keeps us going. And now back to Maria. Lucas: So Maria had been a marketing director at a mid-sized consumer goods company. She left in 2018 when her second child was born. By 2024, she was ready to return. But her industry had changed — a lot more digital, data-driven, martech tools she'd never used. Luna: What was her biggest hurdle? The skills gap or the confidence gap? Lucas: Both, honestly. She told me the first time she looked at a HubSpot dashboard she felt sick. But also, she said applying for permanent roles felt like this huge emotional weight — the cover letters, the interviews, the rejection. Temp work lowered the stakes. Luna: Interesting. So she went to a staffing agency — which one? Lucas: A local office of a national firm — I won't name it, but it's one of the big ones. She was upfront: six-year gap, rusty skills, looking for something part-time to start. The recruiter placed her in a three-month temp assignment doing marketing coordination for a small e-commerce brand. Luna: That's a step down from director. Was that hard for her? Lucas: She said it was humbling, but she also said it was exactly what she needed. No pressure to prove herself on day one. She could just do the work, rebuild her muscle memory. And the agency handled the intro — she didn't have to explain her gap in a cover letter. Luna: That's a huge benefit actually. The agency does the selling for you. And they have relationships with hiring managers who trust their vetting. Lucas: Right. And here's the data point: Robert Half did a survey in 2025 — 76 percent of temp workers said their assignment led to a permanent job offer. That's not just busywork. It's a try before you buy for both sides. Luna: Seventy-six percent is huge. So Maria's temp role — did it turn into something? Lucas: It did, but not right away. She finished the three months, and the company asked her to stay on for another two months to help with a product launch. Then, when a full-time marketing manager role opened up, she applied internally and got it. Total time from first temp assignment to permanent offer — nine months. Luna: Nine months is faster than a lot of people searching for a permanent role from scratch. And she came back at manager, not director, but that's still a solid re-entry. Lucas: And she said the temp period let her negotiate from a position of strength. She knew the team, knew the tools, had a track record. When they made an offer, she felt confident asking for a slightly higher salary and a flexible schedule. Luna: So for someone listening who's been out of the workforce for three, five, seven years — what's the first step? Just call a temp agency? Lucas: I'd say do a little homework first. Figure out what kind of work you actually want to do — same field, adjacent field, something new? Then look for agencies that specialize in that area. For marketing, creative, or finance roles, there are niche firms. For general office support, the big nationals are fine. Luna: And be specific with the recruiter. Say 'I've been out for five years, here's what I used to do, here's what I'm willing to learn.' They hear that all the time. Lucas: Exactly. Recruiters are motivated to place you — they only get paid if you work. So they're not judging the gap. They're thinking about which client would be open to someone re-entering. Luna: I also like that temp work lets you test different company cultures. If you hate the place, it's three months. You don't have to quit. Lucas: That's a great point. Maria said her first temp role wasn't a cultural fit long-term, but the second one was. And because she was temping, she could just move on without burning a bridge. Luna: What about the pay? Temp roles usually pay less than permanent, especially at the entry level of the assignment. Lucas: True. Maria's temp rate was about twenty percent less than what her permanent manager role eventually paid. But she said the trade-off was worth it for the reduced stress and the flexibility. And in her case, she was on her spouse's health insurance, so benefits weren't a factor. Luna: That's an important caveat. If you need benefits, temping can be tricky — though some agencies offer them if you work enough hours. Lucas: Yeah, it's worth asking upfront. Some of the larger firms offer benefits after a probation period. But you have to be proactive. Luna: So the big picture: temp agencies are an underrated re-entry tool. They give you a foot in the door, lower the stakes, and often lead to permanent roles. Lucas: And the data backs it up. Temporary employment grew four point two percent year-over-year in Q1 of this year — that's according to the American Staffing Association. Companies are using temps more, which means more opportunities for someone re-entering. Luna: So if you're listening and you've been hesitating because you don't know how to explain your gap — maybe just skip the explanation and let an agency do the talking. Lucas: That's the takeaway. Maria's story isn't flashy, but it's real. And it worked. For our next episode, we're going to look at another under-the-radar re-entry path — professional associations and their networking groups. Luna, I know you have some experience there. Luna: I do. I've seen people get hired just by showing up to a chapter meeting and raising their hand for a committee. We'll dig into that next time. Lucas: Until then, if you found today useful, share it with someone who's thinking about going back to work. And as always, buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo if you'd like to support the show. Thanks for listening.