Throughout time, some people earned at least part of their income taking short jobs when the work was available. People even traveled to other towns for work, leaving their families behind. The National Association of Personnel Services dates the earliest private employment services to 14th-century Germany, though no detail is available regarding the type of work. Kelly Services Inc. was one of the first temporary staffing agencies in the United States. In 1946 its founder, William Russell Kelly, realized there was a great demand for office and clerical help in Detroit, Michigan. Businesses throughout town needed reliable help, though not on a daily basis. Kelly's first employees were housewives and students—two groups with very flexible schedules. They were able to accept or decline assignments as their schedules allowed.
Soon other temporary agencies were placing qualified workers in a variety of businesses. The first temps were mainly receptionists or clerical help; many had no skills other than those associated with secretarial work. Temporary workers are better prepared today—most are computer savvy and have solid work experience. Also, a large number of temps are professionals with backgrounds in law, accounting, or health care, and there is a growing trend for placement agencies to focus on one specific occupational group.
- Accountants
- Arbitrators
- Auditors
- Automotive Dealership Owners
- Billing Clerks
- Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks
- Budget Analysts
- Business Continuity Planners
- Business Development Managers and Directors
- Business Intelligence Analysts
- Business Managers
- Buyers
- Career and Employment Counselors
- Career and Employment Technicians
- Chief Customer Officers
- Chief Executive Officers
- Chief Financial Officers
- Chief Information Officers
- Chief Information Security Officers
- Chief Restructuring Officers
- Chief Revenue Officers
- Chief Robotics Officer
- Chief Sustainability Officers
- Chief Trust Officers
- Client Services Managers
- Collection Workers
- Community Health Program Coordinators
- Compliance Managers
- Continuous Improvement Managers
- Corporate Climate Strategists
- Corporate Community Relations Directors
- Corporate Lawyers
- Corporate Librarians
- Cost Estimators
- Cultural Advisers
- Customer Service Directors
- Customer Service Representatives
- Customs Brokers
- Data Entry Clerks
- Decision Scientists
- Digital Workplace Experience Engineers
- Directors of Corporate Sponsorship
- Directors of Security
- Directors of Volunteers
- Document Management Specialists
- Economists
- Employment Firm Workers
- Entrepreneurs
- Ethical Sourcing Officer
- Event Planners
- Executive Recruiters
- Forensic Accountants and Auditors
- Health Data Analysts
- Human Resources Consultants
- Human Resources Managers
- Information Technology Infrastructure Engineers
- Internet Consultants
- Internet Executives
- Internet Store Managers and Entrepreneurs
- Internet Transaction Specialists
- Labor Union Business Agents
- Legal Operations Specialists
- Loss Prevention Managers
- Management Analysts and Consultants
- Military Recruiters
- Office Administrators
- Payroll Directors
- Personnel and Labor Relations Specialists
- Product Designers
- Professional Organizers
- Project Managers
- Proposal Managers
- Purchasing Agents
- Receptionists
- Regulatory Affairs Managers
- Regulatory Affairs Specialists
- Sales Managers
- Sales Representatives
- Secretaries
- Space Tourism Managers
- Statisticians
- Stenographers
- Strategy Managers
- Tax Managers
- Traffic Managers
- Typists and Word Processors
- Workplace Diversity Experts