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While getting hired for a full-time job may be your true goal, accepting temporary position could lead to a long-term position within the same company.

Not all temporary jobs become a long-term position, but playing you cards right maximizes your chances and – at the very least – leads to more professional contacts in your network.

Buy Into the Company Culture

From the first day you walk through the doors of the company to your temporary position, visit the company’s website and learn more about their products and services.  Read the “about us” sections and understand the company’s mission, vision and values.  Likewise, you should be taking mental notes on how people conduct themselves. Is there a company language, common words or phrases that are integrated in the company vernacular?

Base your own actions on these observations. Of course, you shouldn’t change who you are just to fit in.

Show Some Enthusiasm

A hiring manager will be much less likely to offer you a job if you don’t seem like you’ll appreciate it. Practice gratitude – it’s like the company chose you over lots of other qualified candidates who also wanted the position.  If you truly want to be a full-time employee, make sure that comes across in your work and your attitude. Going the extra mile, picking up the extra assignment or staying late are all ways to show your commitment to the company and flexibility as a professional.

Enthusiasm also means taking a serious interest in the job, the company and the industry. Inquire about what those around you are doing, or ask how your particular job fits into the bigger picture. Learning more means you can take a proactive approach to the job and help others or accept more responsibility.

Make the Most of Every Opportunity

If the company has metrics to assess employee performance, such as sales goals or safety initiatives,  make sure you are either hitting those benchmarks or surpassing them. When it comes time to review your performance as a temporary employee, having hard statistics to back you up can help in the pursuit of a permanent job.

In addition to doing what is expected of you, take the extra step of trying to come up with ways to improve efficiency or solve nagging workflow problems. Make a list and when an opportunity presents itself, share a solution or several ideas with a receptive manager or full-time employee.

Network and Build Relationships

Even if the chances of making your current assignment are slim, you can still come away from the opportunity with a bigger professional network. Find out what other job openings the company has and introduce yourself to as many people as possible.  When the temporary assignment ends, reach out to your former co-workers over LinkedIn. You never know if or when one of these new connections can lead to a professional opportunity or help out as a professional reference.

At Cornerstone, we are always rooting for our temporary employees to make their job permanent. Feel free to contact us and we can get started on taking that initial step.


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