Making a Temporary Job Permanent

These days, many companies hire large groups of temporary workers in order to try them out before deciding which to keep. It's a common tactic and one you've probably seen many times. The jobs are advertised as “temp to hire,” but most of the time that means that if you do a great job, you'll be asked to stay.

So, how do you turn your temporary job into a more permanent one? According to a great article at the SavvyIntern, here are a few ways to make your short term gig last:

Act like it's permanent. A big mistake that temporary workers make is that they treat the job as “just visiting” by coming in late, not worrying about calling in sick or simply acting like an outsider. Instead, you should treat the job as though it were permanent and do your best work. It's important to be part of the team, not someone who might be gone tomorrow. You'll want your co-workers to picture you as one of them, which will show management how perfect you are for the job.

Get involved with the corporate community. Many companies these days have a clear corporate culture. Find out what yours is and try to adapt to it. Find out what activities your co-workers are interested in and join in. For example, if your company has a softball team, ask to join. (I had a friend suggest that the best way to prevent being laid off was to be the person who keeps track of the money for the fantasy football pool. You can't be fired at least until the end of the season.) Your goal should be to assimilate with the team as quickly as possible so that everyone, including your boss, will view you as a valued member of the office team.

Network with everyone. Even if your temporary job doesn't become a permanent one, don't miss the opportunity to network with your co-workers. A temporary assignment gives you the chance to show how great you are and get to know other professionals. Spend time with the people who work at your level and those senior to you. Invite them to connect with you on professional networking sites like LinkedIn. Invite them to lunch and discuss their career goals. Then, after the assignment ends, they may be able to give you a great reference.

Temporary jobs aren't always bad. In fact, they give you the opportunity to try out a job and a company before making a long-term commitment. Even if you don't want to work for the company full-time, the temporary assignment allows you to gain valuable work experience and build lasting connections with other professionals in your industry.

Have you ever had a temp job become permanent? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

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