Have you heard about secondment (Dutch: detachering)? Secondment agencies hire professionals and sends them to work at other companies. If the security of a contract, combined with personal support, benefits and career opportunities sound good to you, read on to learn more about secondment.
The words “secondment” and “temporary work” are often used interchangeably, but there are important and significant differences between the two types of employment. Both give companies the flexibility to hire the expertise they need, for exactly the time they need it for a particular assignment.
The seconded employee retains the contract, benefits, training and coaching from the secondment agency. Secondment contracts are clearly defined regarding length (or may even be unlimited), terms and conditions, which gives security. In the event that your project at the company is discontinued but you have a secondment contract, you will be assigned to a different company by your secondment agency. However, if the employee and company are matched carefully by the secondment agency, in most cases the professional stays working at the assigned company for prolonged periods of time.
This is very different from temporary employment, where flexibility comes at the cost of security in most cases: you are often paid based on an hourly basis for temporary work, your project can be terminated without notice period and you will no longer receive salary after the project has stopped.
What’s in it for you?
Secondment not only offers flexibility to employers, but also to you as employee. Nowadays, people want to try different jobs and execute different tasks throughout their career. With secondment, you are flexible yet have the security of a contract. If you want to work on different tasks, learn new skills and grow professionally, a good secondment agency will provide you with coaching and support. If there is something to discuss, you get in touch with your contact person and get advice. Since your secondment contract is defined in terms and conditions, there is no uncertainty or insecurity for you about finding a good position.
Not only this personal support makes secondment a great opportunity for your career and professional development. You are hired by the secondment agency to do a project at a company that suits you. The risk for this company is lower because they don’t hire you directly. In addition, it is usually the future project manager who decides if you are seconded (and not the HR department, as for direct employees). These factors increase the chances of being accepted for a job via secondment compared to applying to a company directly, especially for starters. It gives you as a professional the opportunity to prove yourself at companies which would otherwise maybe not consider you.
There are of course great differences between contracts depending on the secondment agency you choose. It is important that all partners are happy, this includes you as employee. In the Netherlands, look for example for collective labour agreements (e.g. NBBU members) and benefits and regulations in the working contract. Are there “waiting days” where you receive no salary when you are ill, and do you get a pension scheme, holidays and other benefits right from day one? Make sure you understand what you are signing.
Why should you wait for a new job when you can take control and actively plan your career?
BCF Insights thanks CLS Services for this interview!
CLS Services strives to match the right candidate with the right job in a personal manner. For this, the connection between you and us is very important: both you and us, should have a good feeling about each other. Before hiring you, we make sure that you speak to at least two recruiters, and we assess your motivation, wishes and strengths. We then make a profile of you and help you optimise your CV for specific jobs. Once you have approved your profile and file, we submit it to companies. We also provide coaching and help you prepare for the job interview. We take care of you and your career, and in 85% of the cases our seconded employees continue working for the company they first get seconded to.
