As more and more workers have hopes of returning to the workplace this year, one conundrum oftentimes is whether to temp in the meantime or concentrate all efforts on the full-time search. Quite frankly, both can and should be done.

If you find yourself job hunting and coming up short, temp agencies not only help fill in some of the money gaps, but it also makes you more desirable to potential employers who see you are actively working.

According to information from the American Staffing Association (ASA), up to 18 percent of temp positions turn into full-time opportunities at the client firm. That being said, many individuals still shun temp positions for a variety of reasons.

One issue that job hunters often find is that temping interferes with their ability to search for work during the day. That problem can be easily averted by moving your job search to the evenings and weekends, focusing your daytime energies on temping.

In the event you find yourself torn between temping and continuing your search for a full-time position, take these factors into consideration:

• Temping means money and possible benefits – Unlike a lot of internships that provide only credits, temping means having a regular paycheck until something better comes along. In many temping situations, employees are paid on a weekly basis as opposed to bi-weekly. While some individuals may feel it is better to sit out and collect unemployment should they be eligible, some temping positions also offer a portion of health insurance benefits;
• Temping means skills improvement – While you may feel like most or all temping jobs are simply filing papers all day or answering phones, that is oftentimes not the case. In a lot of temping positions, you will be doing work on computers with inputting data, doing research, and/or working side-by-side with a manager. This experience can be invaluable in that you are staying up to date on your computer skills, plus working with someone who puts a fair amount of trust in you;
• Temping means opportunities – Even though a lot of temping positions only end up meaning a day, a few days or a few weeks, they also can help you make inroads into gaining a FT position with a company. In the event your performance is well reviewed by management, it could lead to a full-time position either now or down the road when an opening occurs. Even if you are there just for a day or two, make the most of it;
• Temping is great for networking – In the event you do not latch on full-time with the company/companies you temp for, the exposure is still great. Someone may know of someone who needs help in another company, etc. Instead of sitting at home sending out resumes and reading the want ads, being in an office setting as a temp offers you a better chance of being noticed when your work is liked.

On the flip side, given there are no guarantees with a temp job; it certainly makes sense to apply as much effort as possible to the full-time job hunt.

If you’re temping, you can still actively pursue a full-time gig, just be smart on how you go about it.

Your temping position should not be used to use the office computer to job hunt during the day. Remember, you’re there to do a job, so don’t spend your time writing cover letters, polishing up your resume, and searching the online help wanted ads.

The best way to handle the situation is move your job searching to nights, weekends or whenever you are not temping. Looking for a job is a full-time job in essence, so your concentration level needs to be at 100 percent, not 50 percent or so while you’re on a job.

Lastly, know where to look for the right temping opportunities so you are not left spinning your wheels and wasting valuable time.

Search for temping agencies that are focused in your field of expertise, along with ones who will have tests that you can pass without any issues. Per example, you don’t want to be going to a temp agency that specializes in placing people in the technology industry if your tech skills are limited to say the least.

As the job market slowly begins regaining its footing after the recession and numerous layoffs use any temping opportunities that come along as a good opportunity to add to what you can offer a full-time employer down the road, along with making your wallet a little meatier.

Dave Thomas, who covers among other items starting a small business, writes extensively for Business.com, an online resource destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses.