With so many qualified candidates currently vying for jobs, many employers prefer to use temporary employees to test out candidates and find the perfect match for the position.
Temp-to-hire jobs come with some risk, but they also provide access to new opportunities and excellent jobs. They give both you and your employer an easy exit if the role isn’t for you.
How do you become the temp they want to hire? Keep reading for some expert performance tips.
Treat It Like a Months-Long Interview
If you want to turn a temporary job into a permanent position, treat it like a three or six-month long job interview – not as a temporary job.
Instead of treating it like a place with an expiration date, act like every day is a job interview. Show up on time, leave when you should, and complete your tasks with the commitment you would if you were in line for a promotion.
Build Relationships with Your Co-workers and Managers
Relationship building goes along the same lines as treating the job as an extended interview. Develop relationships and make yourself not only a helping hand but a welcome one. You’re not a temp once you make yourself a vital part of the team.
Supporting your colleagues and managers not only demonstrates your skills, but it puts people in your corner. They’re more likely to fight for you to remain permanently. Even if you don’t land the permanent gig, you’re more likely to get a better reference.
Skip Workplace Politics
Even though you should integrate yourself into your team, you should avoid any workplace politics.
Don’t gossip. Don’t take sides. And don’t use workplace politics to get ahead, especially if you are a temp.
How do you avoid workplace politics without alienating your co-workers? Try to steer conversations away from off-limits topics and avoid reacting unnecessarily. Even if your permanent colleagues are involved, your participation as a temp can make you look like trouble.
Be the Kind of Employee You’d Hire
Temp-to-hire positions are hard work, but they are a way for both you and your employer to make sure you are the right fit for the job.
To be the temp they want to hire; you need to be the kind of employee that you’d want to hire. Commit yourself to the role rather than treating it as something that will be in your rear-view mirror in six months.
Are you ready for a new temporary placement?
At Energi Personnel, we help candidates like you find the career you deserve. Join our team to learn more about turning your temp job into a permanent career.
