Chapter 6
Temp roles
Temp work is filled by agencies that need someone who is available, qualified for the site or setting, and can start this week. The CV still gets you into the database; what gets you placed is showing those three things at a glance.
What temp adverts ask for
Our measurement 2,999 temporary adverts on the ContractorUK jobs board, posted to 13 September 2026, measured 26 September 2026 CUK1 CUK3 CUK4:
| What the advert states | Adverts | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pay per hour | 1,859 | 62.0% |
| Pay per day | 736 | 24.5% |
| Pay per year, week, month or none given | 404 | 13.5% |
| Mentions shifts | 828 | 27.6% |
| Mentions nights / weekends | 351 / 288 | 11.7% / 9.6% |
| Mentions "immediate start" | 401 | 13.4% |
| Names a DBS check | 830 | 27.7% |
| Names a CSCS card | 347 | 11.6% |
| Names a driving licence | 327 | 10.9% |
| Names HGV or C+E / Driver CPC | 307 / 198 | 10.2% / 6.6% |
| Names manual handling / forklift (FLT) | 169 / 150 | 5.6% / 5.0% |
| Names right to work | 253 | 8.4% |
Temp adverts are short. On our board they name very few skills from the skills list used for the recorded measurement: a mean of 0.13 per advert, and 99.4% name fewer than three Our measurement CUK1. What they name instead is pay, shifts, start dates, cards and checks.
How temp candidates are found
CV databases let recruiters filter by job type (temporary) and by hourly pay CV1 CV2, and by how recently a candidate was active CV1. A profile set to "temporary", with an hourly rate and a current activity date, is visible to those searches; one set only to "permanent" is not Our view, from the filters.
The temp CV, in short
- Availability first: days, shifts (earlies, lates, nights, weekends), notice needed, and the date you can start.
- Where you can work: your town and how far you travel, and whether you have your own transport and a full UK driving licence (only if true).
- Cards, checks and tickets with their status: for example "Enhanced DBS on the Update Service", "CSCS Labourer card, valid to 2028", "Counterbalance and reach truck licences", "Driver CPC and digital tachograph card". The DBS Update Service lets an employer check a certificate online GOV4. Never put certificate or card numbers on a CV you send widely.
- Assignments grouped: list short assignments under the agency or under one heading with dates and the kinds of site or setting, so the CV stays short and shows continuous work.
- The advert's own words for the work (for example "picking and packing", "personal care", "SEN support", "groundworks"), only for what you have done.
What Fitread checks for temp roles. The pay exactly as the advert states it (hourly or daily), shifts, start date and availability as stated, and the skills and title on your CV. A temp pay comparison against other adverts is not built yet, and credential checks compare recognised cards and licences named in the advert with your CV (chapter 9).