Temporary consulting contracts offer professionals a chance to network, learn new skills, and earn an income while they continue to search for something permanent. Consulting can also help freelancers get their foot in the door of an attractive company. A contract job can act like an audition of sorts -- for an employer as well as for an employee.
Volunteer work also helps job seekers acquire new skills and gain experience that can be parlayed into more financially rewarding work.
Wendleton tells the story of one client who left her job at a national retailer and began volunteering three or four days a week as chief financial officer of a nonprofit organization. Before long, she had the requisite experience and title on her résumé to land what Wendleton calls "a terrific CFO position."
Ryan Underwood (runderwood@fastcompany.com) works on the Fast Company Web team.
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