What's the Wave?

There it is again in the job description in big, bold letters: temp-to-perm. Instantly, a feeling of unsteadiness washes over you and your mouse slowly moves to the right-hand corner of the webpage, wanting to close it out. It’s completely normal to feel uneasy when looking at temp-to-perm jobs, thinking of all the “what-ifs”. While it may be hard to get out of that mindset, there are several benefits to a temp-to-perm job that often go overlooked. Here are just five that may help you think about this type of employment differently:

1. Expand your resume

A temp-to-perm situation can give you the chance to build up your resume and gain experience, while remaining active in your search. There is also the possibility to learn a new set of skills and even strengthen ones that may need some extra work. Adding valuable, relevant, and current experience to your resume can help you look better to employers as compared to those applicants whose skills are stagnant in the process. 

2. Accelerated onboarding process

It can take a significant amount of time to get through the entire onboarding process for a permanent role. On the flip side, an advantage of a temp to perm position is the potential to start, learn, and contribute to the company immediately. Submersing yourself into the position leads to an easier transitional period if an offer is extended to go to a permanent position. By that time, you’ll be well trained, aware of company policies, and have the skills needed to thrive in this position.

3. Evaluate a company/job

Think of a temporary position like test driving a car, experience what you will hopefully spend years driving. As a temporary employee, you can test out the company and job, evaluating if it’s the right fit for you before potentially getting the chance to become a permanent employee. If it ends up not being what you expected or wasn’t the right fit, you can simply fulfill your contract and move on. Now you have the advantage of knowing new workplace likes and dislikes. It also gives you the chance to sample different industries and find the one that you like best.

4. Exceed expectations

It may sound cliché, but now is the time to prove yourself! You get to show off your capabilities, versus other candidates who only have a small window to talk about their skills and previous work history during a short interview. It’s essential to use this time wisely by differentiating yourself and demonstrating why you should be kept as a permanent employee. This doesn’t mean killing yourself day in and day out, but putting in your best effort won’t go unnoticed!

5. Networking Opportunities

I’m pretty sure everyone has heard by now is “it’s not what you know it’s who you know.” Keeping this in mind while in the workplace is essential. Building up a large network of people from different backgrounds, areas, and industries can help you in the long run. You never know who might be able to connect you directly to a hiring manager rather than having to submit a resume online along with 150 other candidates. That tiny difference may land you the job. Working in various temp situations provides you the opportunity to meet many people, across many different industries.

These five benefits are only scraping the surface of what a temp to perm situation could potentially offer someone. While it may not be the right fit for everyone, weighing the pros and cons is a helpful way to determine if it could fit your unique situation.