Cover Doesn’t Mean Compromise: How to Find Temps Who Actually Add Value

“We just need someone to keep the seat warm.”
It’s a sentence we still hear. It also hugely undersells the power of a well-placed temp.
Temporary hires have long been treated as second-best. Fallbacks, stop-gaps, a way to tide things over until the “real” hire comes along. But in today’s market, that mindset is not only outdated, there’s every chance that it’s costing you business opportunities, money, and momentum.
The truth? A great temp doesn’t just cover the role. They can help elevate it, drive change, and help you see the gaps you might not have been aware of before. 

The Quality Myth: Where It Comes From

In the past, temps were brought in at short notice to do reactive, low-urgency work. Think admin cover, transactional roles, or junior support functions. Lots of data entry and CRM cleansing, and all of those things your perm team didn’t have time for. In that context, a lot of managers came to associate temporary workers with lower experience levels or limited capabilities.

But that’s not the market we’re in anymore.

At Sewell Wallis, we’ve placed temps who are:

• ACA-qualified accountants driving transformation projects
• Experienced payroll professionals reworking stagnant processes
• Skilled finance managers covering leadership gaps during leave or recruitment freezes

These aren’t “fillers”. They’re professionals. They’re experienced. And they’re often the key to keeping business-critical work on track.

Temps by Choice, Not Circumstance

We’re seeing growing number of highly skilled candidates choosing temp and interim work on purpose.

They want the variety and the challenges that come with temporary roles. The ability to lead a project, deliver change, or solve a short-term problem, then move on to the next. Many have already done the perm thing for years. They’re not “between jobs”. They’re exactly where they want to be.

So if you assume temps are the leftovers - the people who didn’t get the permanent jobs - you’re missing out on an entire layer of hidden talent.

The Value They Bring (Beyond the Job Description)

The best temps don’t just keep the lights on, they’ll drive change. They improve your systems, smooth out your processes, and leave your team in better shape than they found it. How?

• They bring a fresh perspective: They’re not bogged down by internal politics. They haven’t seen six iterations of this process. This gives them freedom to ask the right questions and suggest smarter ways of doing things.
• They’ve got proven adaptability: Temps are used to walking into new environments and hitting the ground running. That means less hand-holding and faster results for you.
• They’re performance-driven: They know their success is measured in outcomes, not promises. So they deliver what you ask them to, and usually more on top.

How to Find The Right Temp For Your Team

If your past experience with temp recruitment has been underwhelming, you’re not alone. You need to focus on being set up to bring a temp into your team. Here are some tips to ensure you’re getting the right quality of candidate:

• Be crystal clear on outcomes: What do you actually need this person to achieve? Not just “cover payroll” or “manage HR queries” - what should success look like in 1 month, 3 months, 6 months? Numbers, hard data and non-negotiables are useful here.
• Work with a recruiter who challenges you: The best recruitment partners won’t just nod and fill a vacancy. They’ll push you on what you really need, and suggest candidates to you who can add value in ways you hadn’t considered.
• Don’t rush the brief, but don’t delay the hire: Good temps go quickly. The market moves fast. Having a solid process upfront means you can act quickly when the right person appears.

Don’t Settle. Demand More.

Temporary recruitment doesn’t always mean transactional. And it definitely doesn’t mean second-rate.

When you approach temp hiring with the same level of care and clarity you apply to permanent roles, the results can be transformational: for your team, your timelines, and your bottom line.

So next time you’re told someone’s “just covering”… ask yourself what else they could be contributing.

Need more than just cover? We can help.

Let’s talk about how temp talent can take your team forward, not just hold the fort – our temporary focused consultants can help you with figuring out the best fit for your needs.