Congratulations! You got the job! It’s the one you’ve been waiting for, the one you’ve always wanted, and the one you worked so hard to secure. There’s just one problem – it’s only a temporary contract. Your new boss has told you there’s a likelihood it will become a permanent position but, at the moment, there’s no guarantee. Suddenly your achievement seems bittersweet.
There’s only one thing to do: make an unforgettable first impression! Here’s how to make an impact in the office and get noticed at your new job, for all the right reasons, and ultimately turn that temporary contract into superstar permanent employee status!
Show enthusiasm
As the office temp, no task is too small – or too tedious! Even if it’s something as mundane as refilling the cupboard, do it and do it with a smile. If you show that you’re happy to be working for the company, then they will be happy to have you – even if that means starting at the bottom and working your way up.
Get to know your team
It’s important that you’re polite and professional with everyone that you come across in the company; however, it’s a good idea to get to know the people you’ll be working with closely on more of a personal level. Ask questions about their lives as well as their work, make an effort, and you’ll gain instant respect from your colleagues. Plus, you might make some new friends while you’re at it!
Be dedicated
Are you running behind on a task but the deadline is looming and you’re sure there’s no way you’re going to make it? Don’t despair. If you work 20 minutes into your lunch, or stay behind for ten, just to get it completed – it won’t go unnoticed. The same goes regarding punctuality. For those first few months, make a conscious effort to ensure that you’re not only in the office on time for your start time, but you’re ten or 15 minutes early. It shows that you’re reliable and you care.
Get involved in wider office activities
Get to know more people in the office by participating in both social and work-related events. Is the company in need of more help with the annual Christmas party? Are they looking for new volunteers for their charity involvement? If you take up these various opportunities, you will get your name recognized in the office as someone who is generous, helpful and goes above and beyond being an average company employee.
Take on more responsibility
Is there a specific set of work to be done and no one to do it, or a client who doesn’t have a point of contact within the company and needs one? Create a new role for yourself by offering to take on whatever needs to be done. Immerse yourself in this new role so fully that you become an expert in that line of work, or dealing with that specific client – so much so that it, if you weren’t there, it would be detrimental to the day to day running of the team.
Drop hints to your boss
At the end of the day, it’s your boss who decides whether you stay indefinitely or leave at the end of your temporary contract. They will be the one to assess your performance and determine if you’re a good fit for the team, and the company in general. It’s important to have regular reviews with your boss when you’re new; these reviews give you the perfect opportunity to discuss your progress and ask if there’s anything you can improve on, or any more that you can do to help.
Even if you can’t be given a permanent contract for your department due to reasons out of your control – for instance, budget limitations controlled by HR – if you have made the right impression during your time at the company, then your boss will fight to keep you there. They will do whatever it takes – whether that’s extending your temporary contract into an on-going rolling contract, or finding a place for you in a different department. Although, if you have followed these steps and have done everything you possibly could have done and more, your boss and colleagues are sure to acknowledge this and you’ll soon be handed that permanent contract! Work hard, stay focused, be determined, and you are bound to reap the rewards. Go get ‘em, temp!