Although conventional wisdom indicates that temporary workers are becoming the norm and full-time workers are becoming an anachronism, statistics do not bear this position out. The truth includes the following facts: (1) companies are using more temporary workers, but these new employment arrangements provide new entry points into the labor market and serve as a bridge to more traditional employment relationships for new labor market entrants and dislocated workers; (2) many firms use temporary-help services as a recruiting tool and an extension of their human resources departments; (3) the growth of the contingent work force reflects not just the business need for flexibility but also employees' demands for flexibility; (4) the contingent work force not only represents secretarial but also technical, professional and managerial workers; and (5) smaller firms often use temporary workers to keep cost down while staffing during peak operating times. Both public and private sectors can learn from the temporary help industry's expertise in testing, training, and placement of workers. (KC)