Dominated by a dissonant sequenced synthesiser line, NME later described the song as "wonky electropop that didn't sound so much ahead of its time as out of it altogether.

"[3] While initially met with highly negative critical reception, it has since become a cult classic and favorite among McCartney fans.

After I left Apple I still had business stuff coming up, so in trying to figure out how I could cope with that there were a couple of times I just grabbed someone to just put my letters in order and help.

Things rarely get worse than that....[13]In contrast, music website popmatters.com said, in reviewing the 2011 reissue of McCartney II: "Temporary Secretary" is a manic, futuristic laser blast with an actual melody simmering underneath.

More than any other song on either eponymous album, "Temporary Secretary" illustrates the complex nature of Paul McCartney's musical output ...[14]Beatles biographers Roy Carr and Tony Tyler described the song as built from an initial, repetitive synthesizer theme, with more substantial instrumental portions added over time, and finally an insubstantial vocal.

"[15] In 2013, Rolling Stone rated "Temporary Secretary" as McCartney's 36th greatest post-Beatles song, calling it a "cult favorite" and an "oddly catchy electro-pop nugget, about a slightly creepy-sounding guy looking to hire a temp.