Many people think the job opportunities offered via staffing agencies such as Helpmates are “just” temporary assignments.
Many are, but many of our assignments do see our associates getting hired on to our client’s own payroll after a few weeks or months. (A very happy day for us as well as for our employees and clients!)
We understand that many folks are looking for steady, full-time work. “Temporary assignment” doesn’t sound nearly as reliable (although many of our temporary opportunities last for several weeks or even months).
So because we understand you may be hoping to turn that short-term assignment into a full-time position with a client, we’ve put together a short primer on how to turn a temporary assignment into a more permanent position.
Step 1: Be a great temporary specialist
Take on the assignment with the attitude that it’s a real job. Which it is. We wouldn’t have hired you and sent you to our client on an assignment unless we thought you had the skills needed and would be a great addition to our client’s workforce.
In addition to your job skills, our clients are looking for skills such as commitment, a great work ethic, dependability, curiosity, and so on.
Showcasing these qualities is the first step you need to take for a client to look at you as a potential new hire someday.
Step 2: Think of your assignment as the first few weeks in a new job
You know how it is: you start a new job and you want to impress your new boss and colleagues. You’re on your best behavior. You try to do things before being asked and solve problems you know your boss needs to be solved. After all, that’s really why employers hire people for: to help them reach their goals and solve problems.
Working on an assignment allows you to “prove” you have the ability to do this. In many ways, you’re in a better position than people interviewing for more permanent jobs because you’ll be able to prove you can do the job while they can only say they can.
Step 3: Let your staffing recruiter as well as your assignment manager know you’re interested in being hired at the company someday.
Ask for a meeting and tell your manager at work that you’d like to work at his or her company should an opening occur.
At pretty much the same time – or even before – let your recruiter/manager at the staffing company know, as well.
Never worry: if the client wants to hire you, the staffing company will not stop it. It may be delayed a bit but if the client company wants to bring you on to its payroll, the staffing company will be pleased. Truly.
One thing to look out for: a client manager who offers you a full-time position and asks you to not tell the staffing company. This is going against the contract the two businesses have with each other. The manager you’re working with on assignment knows this; he or she basically is knowingly breaking the contract.
Don’t be surprised if the manager you work with at the assignment asks you to submit a resume and fill out an application. This pretty much is par for the course.
Also, you should look at the company’s internal job opportunities because many companies allow temporary specialists to apply before the jobs are opened to the general public. Let both your staffing manager as well as the assignment manager know that you’re applying for one or more positions.
Check out temp-to-hire assignments
If you’re looking for full-time work, check out the job opportunities at Helpmates. You’ll see temporary assignments, direct-hire opportunities, and other assignments known as temp-to-hire.
These are positions that clients ask us to fill because they are looking to bring someone on in a temporary capacity in the hopes the company will want to bring the person on to their payroll in about three months or so – and that the specialist on assignment also will want to do so.
If any temporary, temp-to-hire or direct-hire assignments appeal to you as you search, follow the application instructions or contact the Helpmates branch office nearest you for more information.
