Could I be an interim manager?

Being a temporary employee has some distinct advantages.

Avril Inglis worked full time at UBS and JP Morgan before becoming an interim programme manager. She has since worked at a number of bulge bracket banks on ecommerce and business development projects.

&quotBeing interim gives you the chance to make a greater contribution. Another advantage is the variety of the work. You can say this is an area I find really interesting and want to work in and then target it. I have the flexibility to decide who I want to work for and which assignments are appealing.&quot

Remuneration, at between 600 and 2,000 a day, dependent upon the person and position, is generous. &quotMy earnings are equivalent to my full-time salary, and I now have four months holiday every year,&quot says Potez.

But there are downsides. Although on the books of interim management agencies, interim managers are self-employed and future earnings are not guaranteed. &quotBeing an interim manager isn't for everyone. A lot of people don't like the uncertainty on finishing an assignment,&quot says Inglis.

For some, interim management is a route into a permanent position. Former interim manager Paul Kennedy is currently a director in strategic change management at Credit Suisse First Boston. &quotBy going in as an interim manager, I gained three and a half years of valuable project management experience,&quot says Kennedy. &quotIt's a way of building your credibility.&quot