How to Go From Temp to Hire

By Dillon Price, Monster Contributor

If you’ve been employed in temporary jobs for a long time and feel stuck in the “always a temp, never a perm” pool, you’re not alone.

According to the American Staffing Association, there are about 25,000 staffing and recruiting companies in the United States which operate roughly 49,000 offices nationwide. These companies hire about 16 million temporary and contract employees each year. About six in ten employees find temporary work to fill the gap between jobs or to help them land permanent jobs.

While temporary work can help you get from one job to the next, it’s rarely a permanent solution. Fortunately, there are ways to move from temp to hire. It just requires a little patience and a lot of chutzpah.

Read on to learn more about how temp-to-hire arrangements work and how to turn your temp job into a permanent one.

What Does Temp-to-Hire Mean?

Temp-to-hire is a staffing arrangement that allows companies to hire workers on a short-term basis, with the option of hiring them permanently at the end of a contract. Companies often source temp workers through a staffing agency to provide extra help, complete short- and long-term assignments, or fulfill specific roles as needed.

The most common temp positions include:

Seasonal jobs: Many seasonal temp positions include holiday retail and customer service jobs, tax preparer jobs, and summer jobs. These types of jobs often appeal to students, retirees, and stay-at-home parents.
Short- and long-term projects: Some employers hire temps with specialized skills to complete certain short- and long-term projects. This is common with software development, project management, web development, research, and construction.
Per-diem jobs: Per diem means work that is completed on a day-to-day or as-needed basis in exchange for daily wages. This type of temp work is often used to fill in for absentees or provide extra coverage. Per diem jobs are common with substitute medical staff, traveling nurses, and substitute teachers.
Temp-to-perm jobs: Hiring employees directly for permanent positions (especially full-time) is a big commitment and investment for companies to make. A temp-to-perm position is often used to gauge employees for dependability, teamwork, and overall performance before offering them permanent positions.

How Does Temp-to-Hire Work?

A staffing or temp agency works as a middleman between employees and companies. When you get a temp job, the company will pay the staffing agency and the agency will pay you.

The process of getting a temp job is simple. Once you submit your resume to a staffing agency and complete an interview, they’ll find jobs that match your skills, credentials, and experience. A staffing agency may need you to fill a job immediately or may contact you when a position becomes available.

If you work for a staffing agency and receive a W-2, the agency must classify you as an employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (RIN 1235-AA43). This also applies to “contract-to-hire” and per-diem positions.

Additionally, staffing agencies are required to pay overtime to employees who work more than 40 hours within a workweek.

Benefits of Temp-to-Hire Jobs

There are many advantages to working a temp job. Here’s are some of the most common benefits:

Find work quickly: Many companies consult with staffing agencies because they have a project or role that needs to be filled immediately. This makes temp jobs ideal for people who were recently laid off, are relocating, changing careers, or looking for their first job.
Enjoy flexibility: When you work as a temp employee, you have the flexibility to test a company out to see if it’s a good fit for you culturally.
Gain professional experience: Temp work is a great way to get your foot in the door with a new career, gain professional experience, and build valuable skills through training and hands-on practice.
Network: Networking allows you to build stronger professional ties and access more job opportunities in the future. Even if you don’t work for a company permanently, temp work is a great way to network with professionals in the same industry as you.
Build your resume: While your job may not be permanent, the achievements and experience you gain will look great on your resume. It gives you the opportunity to mention new core competencies and list professional achievements that could make you valuable to future employers.

How to Turn a Temp Job Into a Permanent Position

When you work as a temp employee, you’ll have a better chance of getting a permanent position than other candidates who apply directly to a company. But you’ll first need to put your best foot forward during your temp job to be considered over other applicants.

Here are six tips for turning your temp job into a permanent one.

1. Communicate Your Interest in a Permanent Position

Whether you’re applying for your first temp job or are already established in one, it’s important to communicate your interest in a permanent position. Even if a company doesn’t have a permanent position open at the time, they may consider you for one in the future.

Make it clear that you’re looking for a permanent position from the moment you apply. If you already work in a temp job, discuss your intentions with management or human resources. Explain why you want the permanent job and why you would be a good fit.

2. Show What You’ve Accomplished as a Temp

During your time as a temp, make a list of tasks you’ve completed, new skills you’ve learned, company or industry knowledge you’ve gained and save copies of your work to build a portfolio. This evidence will help you to make your case when you apply for a permanent position.

3. Become Acclimated to the Workplace Culture

Employees who become acclimated to their workplace culture tend to be more productive and engaged in their work and are better team players. Additionally, they’re more likely to stick around for the long term and commit to helping companies reach their goals. These qualities are highly valuable to employers.

Ask yourself these questions to determine if a workplace culture is right for you:

Do my attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs align with my work atmosphere?
Do my goals and values align with the company’s?
Am I able to express my concerns, ideas, and interests?
Do I work well with my co-workers and generally fit into my work environment?

4. Build Trust in the Workplace

If you want to get hired in a permanent position, hiring managers must be able to trust you. A temp job gives you the opportunity to prove that you’re dependable by showing up to work on time, meeting deadlines, and consistently living up to your promises and expectations.

Here are some other effective ways to build trust in the workplace among your co-workers and management:

be a team player.
offer praise to coworkers when it’s due.
avoid gossip and other toxic behaviors.
share tips with co-workers to improve your team’s efficiency and productivity.
trust your co-workers and supervisors.

5. Keep Your Resume Updated

So, you’ve spent a few months performing duties for a specific company. You may wonder why they need to see your resume if they already know what kind of employee you are. A resume provides employers with a snapshot of your core competencies, prior work experience and accomplishments, technical skills, and educational background, including what you did before you worked for them as a temp.

Monster offers tips and resources that can help you create a winning resume. That includes:

career summary tips.
how to showcase marketable skills.
how to write professional accomplishments.
buzzwords to include in your resume.

6. Ace the Interview

You’ve received the good news—the company you’ve been temping for wants to interview you for a permanent position. But why do you need to interview for a job you already have?

Even if you’ve already made a great impression and built trust with your supervisor, you may have to impress upper-level management during an interview.

You can pass the interview with flying colors by showing admiration for the company and asking engaging questions. Start by creating answers to commonly asked questions such as, “What do you want to accomplish in your career?” and “Why should we hire you?”

Where Can You Find Temp-to-Hire Jobs?

Whether you’re looking for flexibility or want to kickstart your career, you can find a temp job that aligns with your professional goals. Where should you look for temp jobs? You can find tons of them across a variety of industries. But according to the American Staffing Association, there are the five top industries for temp jobs.

1. Industrial Jobs

About 37% of staffing employees work in industrial sectors, with an average assignment duration of 14 weeks. The most popular industrial jobs include:

2. Office Jobs

Another 28% of staffing employees work in office jobs. The average duration of assignments in this sector is 15 weeks. The most popular office temp jobs include:

3. Professional-Managerial Jobs

Professional-managerial jobs account for about 13% of temp positions. The average duration of assignments for this sector is 19 weeks. These jobs typically include:

4. Engineering, IT, and Scientific Jobs

Engineering, IT, and scientific jobs make up roughly 13% of temporary staffing positions, with an average assignment duration of 23 weeks. These often include:

5. Healthcare

About 9% of staffing jobs are in healthcare. The average duration of assignments in healthcare is 15 weeks. The most popular temp healthcare jobs include:

Other Popular Temp-to-Hire Positions

Looking to expand your search for temp jobs to other industries? Here are some other popular temp jobs you may be interested in:

Find a Permanent Gig on Monster

Start your search for temp-to-hire jobs—or full-time positions—by signing up with Monster. We’ll get your resume seen by job recruiters looking for candidates with your skills and professional background. We’ll also keep you updated on new jobs in your field by sending free notifications to your inbox. Plus, we have tons of career advice resources to help you successfully land a (temp or perm) job that interests you.