Making The Leap From Temp To Longer-Term Roles

In today’s evolving job market, the amount of available opportunities continues to grow – making it an excellent time to be a job seeker. According to a study done by CareerBuilder, there is one particular area that is expected to experience unprecedented growth —temporary, consulting, and project-based assignments.

There are a variety of reasons as to why temporary jobs are so appealing to both employers and job seekers. For employers, temporary employees can be a cost-effective solution to bringing on staff for specific projects. For job seekers, temporary opportunities can help you build new skills or determine your next career move.

However, there may come a time when you are ready to pursue longer-term employment. When that happens, there are certain ways to leverage your temp experience to land a full-time role. In fact, depending on your current employer, it can be very possible to transition from a temp assignment to a longer-term role within the company. Here’s how:

Be 100% reliable

When you start a temp assignment, you want to demonstrate to your supervisor that you are well aware of all your responsibilities and deadlines, as well as their expectations of you. Throughout your tenure with the company, make sure to complete all of your duties before their assigned deadlines. Also, make sure you respond to all emails and requests in a timely and efficient manner. Consistently following through and producing high quality work can help facilitate trust between you and your colleagues—something that can be a key factor in your supervisor’s decision to bring you on full-time.

Demonstrate initiative

Regardless of the length of your assignment, don’t be afraid to show your supervisor that you aren’t afraid to pitch ideas or offer assistance with projects outside of your responsibilities if you have extra time. Although you may have been brought onto a team for a specifically outlined project, many supervisors would be impressed with an employee who is willing to extend themselves beyond what they were originally assigned to do. If you’re in a position where you know you can use your skills for the betterment of the team, don’t be shy to offer a helping hand. It’s important to begin the assignment by listening and following directions given by your colleagues, but it’s also important to show you’re willing to provide assistance as you grow more comfortable in the role.

Learn new skills

When you’re in a temp position, it can be hard to stray from your responsibilities in order to further integrate yourself as a member of the team. However, it’s important to remember that it’s alright, and even encouraged in some cases, to break out of your comfort zone and pick up responsibilities that will challenge your abilities and your skills. If you see a colleague struggling with a project that requires skills you know only on a basic level, ask them if you can do anything to help lighten their load. Even if this is something that you have to learn on your own, your team will appreciate that you offered additional support. Doing this is also a good indicator that, you are motivated to learn new skills — something that can help the organization stay up-to-date with market trends.

Use your experience as a networking tool

If you aren’t offered a full-time position at the end of your assignment, it’s important to remember that your relationship with the company doesn’t need to end as a result. Make sure you keep in touch with your supervisor and colleagues as new opportunities that you could be a fit for might open up over time. If you made a good impression, they might also be willing to connect you with members of their network who may also be hiring full-time. And who knows? If it didn’t work out at first, there could be a batter opportunity that comes around the second time!