You’re looking for a full-time job. How can you use temporary work to get your foot in the door?

In my experience, leveraging temporary work can be a strategic way to get your foot in the door and land a full-time job. Temporary positions offer opportunities to demonstrate your skills, work ethic, and cultural fit within a company. Treat each temporary assignment as a chance to impress employers and showcase your value. Network with colleagues and supervisors, express your interest in long-term opportunities, and inquire about potential openings. Proactively seek feedback and take on additional responsibilities to position yourself as a valuable asset. Temporary work can serve as a stepping stone to securing permanent employment within the organization.

A temporary work assignment provides opportunities for growth and advancement! What are the benefits? First, you can learn a new skill ~ it could be software that you’re not familiar with or documents, project planning and/or project development, program development, leadership, etc. Secondly, if you’re new to the area ~ temporary assignments helps you become acclimated to your new surroundings by driving throughout the city for assignments. Third, excellent opportunity to network ~ temp assignments put you in spaces where you come in contact with internal and external customers. Use these opportunities to network and connect! Fourth, freedom ~ temp jobs provide freedom and flexibility. Finally, INCOME! Weekly or bi-weekly pay!!

Temporary work can be a strategic stepping stone in securing a full-time job. It allows you to gain industry experience, develop new skills, and expand your professional network. By taking on temporary roles, you demonstrate adaptability and a proactive attitude to employers. It provides an opportunity to showcase your capabilities, potentially leading to a permanent position. Additionally, temporary work allows you to explore different companies and industries, helping you refine your career goals. It's a valuable avenue for networking, obtaining references, and enhancing your resume, ultimately increasing your appeal to potential employers when seeking a permanent role.

When I was just a wee lad on the Walt Disney World College Program Internship (a temp summer job), I knew my time was limited, so I decided to make the most of it. I had heard about an "Advanced Internship" in Casting (er, Recruiting) and I desperately wanted the job. In my free time, I identified the woman in charge of hiring for the role (which would not be posted for another 6 months), and asked she would consider giving me 15 minutes of her time. "I'm a College Program Cast Member, and I'm eager to learn more about the Casting internship. If you would be willing to chat with me, I'd be grateful for whatever information I could learn in advance!") Just 7 months later I landed the role! Use temp time to your advantage!

Don't dismiss temporary work. It could be your pathway to a full time, permanent role, and/or a means of getting a 'foot in the door' to a highly desirable employer. Companies may have different reasons for hiring temp workers vs. employees at any given time (not enough budget for FT hires in a given quarter/year, preference to 'try' out workers before taking them on FT). A Temporary job is a job, and one you should maximize to its fullest, to gain new knowledge and skills, add to your resume and LinkedIn, and grow your professional network.

Utilize temporary work strategically as a stepping stone for securing a full-time job by showcasing your skills, work ethic, and adaptability. Treat temporary positions as extended interviews, consistently delivering high-quality results to make a lasting impression. Build relationships with colleagues and supervisors, expressing your interest in long-term opportunities within the company. Actively seek feedback, demonstrating a commitment to improvement and growth. Leverage the temporary role to expand your network, as connections and referrals can significantly enhance your chances of transitioning into a permanent position.

In my experience temporary work as a potential means to full time employment is overlooked by many. Being open to temporary work has many benefits. Here are my top 3: 1.) It immediately brings in a source of income if you have been laid off and are currently not working. 2.) It bridges the employment gap on your resume. Even though it is not full time employment and temporary, it is still work and should be listed on your resume. 3.) It provides an opportunity to work in a temporary capacity allowing you to get an inside scoop on a company to figure out if you would want to work for the company in a full time capacity.