You signed up with a temporary staffing agency because you needed some short term work to help you bridge the gap between one job and the next. You figured you’d apply yourself to one temp job after another as needed, and meanwhile you’d keep submitting resumes for full time positions. Any day now, you’re expecting your next big opportunity to present itself.

But what if your temp job IS your next big opportunity? What if you could find a way to launch this temporary gig into full time career?

Your Next Full Time Job May Be Right Here

Chances are, if your employer is using a staffing agency to get necessary work completed, the company is undergoing a period of transition or growth. But when growth happens during a rough economy, employers like to hedge their bets and play it safe. If they don’t know what the future holds, they try to keep commitments to a minimum so they can make changes easily if things go south.

This caution extends to staffing. Employers tend to navigate uncertainty by getting to know a potential employee and watching him adjust to the workplace before officially bringing him on board. There are some things employers can’t learn from an interview, but they can definitely learn from a period of actual employment.

What Can Temps Do To Become Full Time Staff?

If you’re gunning for a full time job with your temporary employer, keep a few simple tips in mind. Most important, remember that every minute you spend in this office is a kind of job interview, whether your managers realize it or not. Every task you complete, conversation you engage in, and contact you make can help you, but only if you play your cards correctly.

1. Dress for the job you want, not the temporary job you have. If you want to stay here full time, dress like the people who work here. If they don’t show up in jeans, you shouldn’t either.

2. Engage. Don’t just drift in an out like a ghost. You may never see these people again after this gig ends…but that’s not what you want. Smile, make eye contact, remember names, and make friends everywhere you go. (These are habits that will serve you well for the rest of your life, no matter where your career path takes you.)

3. Point out your accomplishments at the end of each day, no matter how small. Let your employer know exactly what you’ve done with your time here.

4. Don’t cut corners. That goes without saying. Work hard at your tasks and do them well.

5. Make your employer’s life easier. Don’t let your presence become a drain or a drag. Ask smart questions, don’t be needy, and take a personal interest in the outcome of your labors and the success of this company.

For more ways to leave strong impression during a temporary assignment, contact the NC short term staffing experts at PSU. We can help you make sure your employers remember your name.