How to Get the Most Out of Your Temporary Job

So you've landed yourself a temporary job. Congratulations! Temporary jobs can help you gain experience, learn new skills, and make connections with other professionals. In order to get the most out of your temporary or contract position, it is important to be professional and proactive. You could just drift through your temp assignment, pocket your paycheck at the end, and move on to the next job. But if your goal is to use this opportunity to enhance your career, consider the following tips to ensure the benefits of your temp job are anything but temporary.

Choose a Temp Job Relevant to Your Industry or Career Goals

Apply for jobs that have some connection to your chosen career. Even though the job is temporary, you will gain a better understanding of the inner workings of your industry, which will be invaluable when you are looking for full-time employment. Avoid dead-end jobs or those with no opportunity to learn new skills or grow your network. Consider the type of company you want to work for and look for assignments that will give you a taste of the industry where you want to build your career. Do your research and make sure the company is reputable and will look good on your resume.

The right temp jobs can offer numerous opportunities to build valuable skills and gain experience that will help you stand out from other job seekers and make you more attractive as a potential employee to employers in your field. For example, if you are looking for a job in event planning, taking a temporary office role at a company that plans conferences or conventions could give you a chance to observe the business and possibly even help with some events. Or if you want to be a logistics coordinator, working as a warehouse clerk or in customer service at a shipping company will give you hands-on experience with the day-to-day operations of the business, building your knowledge of supply chain management. Other roles build valuable, transferable soft skills. For example, temporary employees in customer service or administrative positions will have many occasions to develop their communication and interpersonal skills, which are invaluable in almost every position, whether you want to manage a team, sell a product, or provide a service. Additionally, you will have opportunities to network with people who work in your chosen field and may even be able to get your foot in the door if a permanent job opens up in the future.

Network and Make Connections

Get to know the people you work with. Many times, the contacts you make in a temporary job can be helpful in your career later on. These people may be able to give you advice, help you find a permanent job, or connect you with other professionals in your field. Many jobs are part of the hidden job market and are filled internally or through recommendations rather than being posted on a public job board for external candidates. By making and maintaining professional connections, you may be considered for roles that you would never have known about otherwise, and your former coworker or supervisor may even be willing to give you a reference or send your application straight to the hiring manager.

Some people can find it difficult to build relationships with temporary workers or contract employees. Because full-time employees know you won't be there long-term, they may not invest much time in getting to know you. Regardless, stay positive, be friendly, and display an eagerness to learn. You will make a good impression and more than likely find at least one person who you can connect with, if not several.

Mind Your Attitude

Your attitude at work can have a big impact on how well you do and whether or not you enjoy your job, regardless of how long you are there. Choose to see your temporary position as an opportunity instead of a chore and be positive, even if it isn't your ideal situation. If you go in with a positive attitude and put forth your best effort, you will likely find that you enjoy the job more than you expect, and your coworkers will remember you as a pleasant person to work with. No one likes to be stuck on assignment with someone who is negative or constantly complaining, and your efforts at networking will be a lot more successful if you put in the effort to be a good team member.

Be Proactive and Find Opportunities to Learn

In order to get the most out of your temporary assignment, be proactive and take every opportunity to learn new skills, add to your industry knowledge, or take on new responsibilities. Consider what you can take away from this job that will help you improve as a professional and make your resume more marketable to prospective employers. Look for ways to build existing skill sets and apply them in new ways to make you more versatile. Learn everything you can about the job you're doing and offer to help with other tasks when there is an opportunity. Take advantage of offers to train on new tech, apps, software, systems, machinery, etc.

For example, if you are working as a receptionist, offer to help with a data entry project that will let you learn a new software, or ask to sit in on sales meetings. If there is a need for someone to help with customer service, offer to pitch in. This will give you the opportunity to observe the day-to-day operations of the company as well as improve your communication and customer service skills. If you're working in a warehouse, ask if the company offers forklift training and will assist you with becoming forklift certified. Or if you have finished your assigned task, offer to assist a coworker or ask your supervisor if there is other work you can help with. This will demonstrate to your boss that you are willing to go above and beyond what is expected of you, which may make them more likely to recommend you for other positions or give you an outstanding reference. Most employers are happy to have employees who are willing to take on tasks and learn new things, and the experience you gain could give you an edge over other candidates when applying for a permanent, full-time job in the future.

Ask for Feedback or Advice

When you work in a temporary role, people may not be as invested in your development as they would be with a permanent employee. As a result, you may need to ask for feedback or advice to make sure you are meeting performance expectations and identify areas where you could improve. When asking for feedback, take care to phrase your request so you receive good, actionable advice, rather than vague praise or criticism that is discouraging without providing direction. For instance, rather than asking your supervisor, "Can you give me some feedback on how I'm doing?" try something like, "I've been using these methods, but I'm not quite meeting my goals. What would you do to get better results?" Or instead of asking, "How was my sales presentation?" ask, "Could you give me some advice to make my sales presentations more effective?" Asking for feedback can be difficult, but it shows that you are proactive and want to improve your skills. By taking the initiative to ask for feedback or advice, you are demonstrating that you want to learn and grow. You will also gain valuable information that can not only help you succeed in your current assignment, but, more importantly, will give you the information you need to improve your skills and excel in future roles.

Be Professional and Engaged

Temp jobs require the same professionalism as a permanent, full-time position. Put your best foot forward by being punctual, taking the time to learn the company's procedures, adhering to the dress code, and being respectful to your co-workers and customers. If you need to leave before the assignment is over, give as much notice as possible-- don't just stop showing up or returning calls. You never know who you might meet or what opportunities might come from a temporary position, so it is always important to make a good impression. The last thing you want is to apply for your dream job a few years down the road and find out that one of the hiring managers worked with you at a temp position and remembers you were regularly late, rude, or left others to clean up after your poor job performance.

Staffing agencies keep records as well, including if there are problems on assignments, and they will remember if you were an unreliable employee, repeatedly received poor performance reports, or were rude or aggressive to their clients or staff. Since their clients often judge them based on the performance of their temporary employees, they could lose a client because of your unprofessional behavior. Eventually, they won't be willing to risk their reputation by working with you for either permanent or temporary jobs. On the other hand, if you maintain your professional reputation, your recruiter will often be willing to go the extra mile to recommend you to their best clients, including permanent, full-time positions.

Request an Informational Interview

Temp jobs can be great opportunities for students, recent graduates, or those looking to change careers. If you are temping at a company in the same industry that you want to start a career in, request an informational interview from your supervisor or someone in a role that interests you. Ask them about their day-to-day responsibilities, what they enjoy about their job, and any advice they might have for breaking into the industry. This will give you a chance to learn more about what working in that field would be like as well as potentially make a connection with someone who can help you get your foot in the door in the future.

Update Your Resume and Portfolio

While you're working, be sure to keep notes of your primary responsibilities, new skills you've learned, achievements, and new projects you took part in. Write down the specific software, tools, and machinery you are using as well as any new processes or procedures you worked with. When the temp period is drawing to a close or you're ready to look for a new job, use these notes to update your resume or portfolio. You may have gained a transferable skill, learned a cutting-edge technology, or used a software program that is similar to one used by another potential employer. If you don't list these on your resume, hiring managers won't know what great experience and skills you have to offer and may disregard the value of your temporary assignments when they review your application. If you want to use your temp work to become more competitive in your market, you need to be detailed about the experience you gained that will be valued in your industry.

Express Interest in a Permanent Job

Don't be afraid to let your supervisor know that you're interested in a permanent role within the company if one becomes available. If they are impressed with your work, they will be more likely to hire you on permanently if a full-time position opens up, especially if you've maintained the professional connections you made while on your temp assignment. Don't be too pushy-- remember that temp assignments are temporary by definition and often the company doesn't have a permanent position available. You don't want to hurt your cause by asking so often that you becoming annoying or appear demanding. Also, if you are working with a temporary staffing agency, remember that your employer is the staffing agency, not the company whose site you are working at. While it is ok to express your interest in available permanent roles to your supervisor, all negotiations must go through the temp agency. Ask your recruiter to inquire about available permanent placements and let them advocate for you with the hiring manager. Although you should never expect temporary positions to lead to an offer of permanent employment, it never hurts to express your enthusiasm for the company and ask to be kept in mind if a full-time position does become available.

It's up to you to make the most of your temporary assignment. You can spend your time doing the bare minimum and watching the clock, or you can use it as a stepping stone on your way to your next great permanent placement opportunity. By making the most of the opportunities you are given during your time as a temporary worker, you can set yourself up for success in the future.