In this week’s Ask A Recruiter, we answer a frequently asked question by our candidates: “How do I turn a temporary role into a permanent one?”
We asked TempsAhead Manager, Ioana Bucsa, to offer some advice to candidates looking to make this transition and gain greater job security:
With the job market changing so much in the past 10 years, it is very common for companies to hire new employees on a temporary/contract basis. While there is no guarantee the temporary role will turn into something permanent, very often employers look at their temporary employees when looking to make a permanent hire. In our experience we have seen over 60% of our temporary roles become permanent positions.
With any temporary or contract role you accept, you increase your chances of finding the right permanent role. It gives you a chance to really assess a company, the job, the team and how the role fits within your career path. So it is important to treat any temporary role with the same attitude as you would when you start a permanent role.
As specialists in placing temporary and contract employees in a variety of industries, we always make sure that 100% percent of our candidates have the skills, professionalism, work-ethic and references to ensure they can add value to any company. Here are 5 tips to improve your chances of turning a temporary role into a permanent hire:
1. Hold onto that “interview” feeling: Remember the effort you went to when you were interviewed? You spoke carefully, you were charming, and you looked the part and emphasized your unique qualities. Well, if you would like to indefinitely extend your stay with your temporary employer, consider extending that interview feeling ongoing. Many companies use temp agencies to “try-before-they-buy.” If you have gotten this far, don’t let a great role slip through your fingers because you let your guard down too soon.
2. Learn about the company and its people: Take time to check out the company website and maybe chat with the permanent staff on your lunch break. Ask yourself, is this temporary assignment in a company that actually shares your values and ambitions? Is it really a venue where you could see yourself spending a large portion of your career? If the honest answer is “yes”, then let your manager know (at an appropriate moment) what exactly it is you admire about the business and why. Employers want staff who care about what they do, so let them know you share their vision.
3. Be positive, yet realistic: Sounds simple doesn’t it? But getting this right in a new environment, among people you do not know can sometimes be hard. So do not exhaust yourself by making promises you cannot keep. Perform your duties well, with a cheerful attitude and be honest if the workload is becoming unrealistic. Most employers prefer promises that are kept over idealistic ones that are broken. And if you have to renegotiate a deadline, do it with grace, without placing the blame on somebody else. After all, if the company is going to hire you permanently, they want to see that you will be adding value to the workplace, not drama.
4. Be invaluable: If you see an avenue to impress with, go down it. Perhaps there is a task which none of the permanent staff want to do themselves: get on it! Is a software program frustrating someone that you mastered in another role? Offer to help. If somebody asks you to assist with a reasonable task that falls outside of the duties you were hired for, gladly accept the request. Even better, thank them for the opportunity to be involved when the job is done. It’s simple: hiring managers remember the temporary staff who make themselves memorable for the right reasons.
5. Say “thank you”: So the client didn’t offer to make your temporary role permanent before your contract was up? And your agency hasn’t called you with any good news? That does not mean you chances are gone. It may just not be happening right now. As your final day passes, thank the people you have been working with for the opportunity to learn from them. Send a gracious farewell email and do a sincere job of cleaning up your desk or work-station. Last impressions can be as important as first impressions. This is because you want your assignment to be associated with unblemished positivity, so that when this company is ready to hire again, you are the first person they think of.
Not all temporary roles can become permanent hires but these tips will help you improve the impression you leave on the employer.
