Purpose The aim of this article is to explore the influence of precarious (temporary) employment on employability and career development. Design/methodology/approach The article draws together primary and secondary research material. Findings Findings indicate that there are both positive and negative perspectives with regard to temporary employment and career development for both the workers themselves and the user firms. Research limitations/implications Implications arising are that policy development/research is required to investigate potential interventions that could be introduced. Practical implications These are in line with the article's suggestion of adopting transitional labour market strategies. These major transitions are between education and employment; (unpaid) caring and employment; unemployment and employment; retirement and employment; “precarious” and permanent employment. Originality/value The article outlines two facets of precariousness associated with temporary work in relation to the worker and the user firm. It also presents a newly devised three‐stage typology of skill and skill acquisition that is relevant to the topic.
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Connell et al. (2006) studied this question.