Securing yourself a temporary role is the most productive strategy for finding a permanent position. When a permanent role becomes available, an employer's first point of call is to consider the temps who are already working 'on the inside'. The how to guide:
Treat your temporary job just like a permanent job (just with an end date).
Be reliable, punctual and don't slack off just because you are a temp. Treat it like a 'working interview' and see it as an opportunity to shine. The fact is the more you treat yourself like a permanent employee, others will also do the same. No one should guess from the quality of your work that you are a temp.
Don't be precious, remain positive and be productive.
Be flexible to take on more junior tasks, and be willing to do anything. Be enthusiastic, punctual, eager and passionate about work. You are being paid by the hour, so be productive and go above and beyond and prove that you are a valuable addition to the team. Demonstrate that you have a great work ethic and drive. Meet your deadlines and show that you are dependable.
Presentation
Look the part, and take time with your personal presentation. Perception is reality: if you look the part, you will impress your employer with your professionalism, and they will also think that your work is up to the same standard. Use spell check; a personal gripe of mine is poor grammar and spelling mistakes, even with internal communication. Your peers/manager are essentially your clients and will be making the decision to offer you permanency.
Showcase your skills.
Since temps are recruited for a particular project, be sure that all your skills are known. Look for opportunities in the business to showcase your talent.
Be communicative, build rapport and network.
Inform your agency and the company for whom you are temping that you are open to consider permanent roles. There is nothing worse than not being offered a permanent role just because they didn't know you were interested. Build rapport with your team and manager, attend social gatherings if invited and treat yourself as a permanent fixture. Network, network, network!
Ask for a reference.
If you are not offered a permanent role while temping, don't despair; leverage your next role off this one and ask for a reference. Connect with your manager via LinkedIn, exchange mobile phone numbers and keep in touch. Who knows – something may come up in the future. A nice touch is to give your manager a card and thank them for the opportunity, no matter how long your temporary assignment was.
