Temp work: Make it permanent

Temporary jobs have always served as a pressure valve for difficult employment situations. Not enough money to hire a staff person? Hire a temp instead. Not enough experience to compete as a candidate for the job? Go in as a temp first and build your skills. The temp option has taken pressure off employers and workers alike through good and bad economies.

There’s just one problem, at least as far as the worker goes: There’s no promise of a temporary position becoming permanent. Unless the position is labeled temp-to-perm from the beginning, you’ll have to play your cards well to turn a short-term option into a long-term job. Here are some tips.

» Hedge your bets. Sign up with more than one temporary agency and keep in touch with each recruiter so you don’t slip through the cracks.

» Tell your recruiters that your real goal is a permanent position, but that you’re very willing to take any temporary assignment they offer.

AMY LINDGREN

WORKING STRATEGIES

» Stand by your word — take any assignment they offer. Unless the position is flat-out awful, or entails three buses and a rickshaw for a commute, do your best to accept.

» Be reliable, trustworthy, etc. In short, be a Scout. A successful first assignment usually leads to better assignments with better companies.

» Please your bosses. Your first challenge is to figure out who your boss actually is. Once you understand the chain of command, follow it religiously. It’s the only real way to avoid politics while also ensuring that the person who butters your bread is well cared for.

» Track your work. Record the tasks you perform each day as well as completed projects. Eventually, you will use this information to a) update your resume; b) update your recruiter; or c) impress your boss at the client company.

» Tell your temporary boss that your real goal is a permanent position. Ask if your role could turn permanent. If that option is remote, request advice or contacts within the company for permanent positions once your assignment has been completed.

» Collect letters of recommendation. When your position is nearing an end, ask your boss for the favor of a written recommendation to use in your job search.

» Take the high road. If your assignment shows signs of turning permanent, tell your recruiter. It may cost the company extra to “buy” you from the temp firm, but that’s more than balanced by the money saved in not conducting a search for candidates.

- Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecaree rservice.com or at 1071 W. Seventh St., St. Paul, MN 55102.