Temping used to be what people did while they were between fulltime jobs. Now, juggling several temporary jobs is becoming a permanent way to make a living for an increasing number of Americans.

CareerBuilder set out to gauge the temporary work world after mulling over the 57 percent increase in temporary jobs between 2009 and 2014. Based on responses to a survey by Harris on behalf of CareerBuilder, the survey suggests that temporary jobs will become even more permanent as an occupation.

Among the highlights of this survey:

  • Nearly 3 million people are employed in temporary jobs today;

  • Temporary employment is expected to grow 3 percent (75,384 jobs) from 2014 to 2015 and 13 percent (354,877 jobs) from 2014 to 2019;

  • The biggest jump will be for computer systems analysts — a 19 percent increase by 2019;

  • Other occupations that will experience double-digit temp growth include accountants, auditors, nurses, machinists, construction workers, software developers, tractor-trailer drivers, and customer service reps;

  • The largest concentrations of temps will be found in Memphis, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta, Louisville, Dallas-Forth Worth and Columbus, Ohio.

"Temporary employment will continue on an upward trajectory as companies look for ways to quickly adapt to market dynamics," said Eric Gilpin, President of CareerBuilder's Staffing & Recruiting and Healthcare divisions. "Two in five U.S. employers expect to hire temporary or contract workers this year, which opens new doors for workers who want to build relationships with different organizations and explore career options."

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Dan Cook

Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.

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