Daily Archives: November 4, 2011

3 B’s to go From Holiday Help to Full-Time Hire

holiday help to full time jobStaffing Industry Analysts, a global publication specializing in staffing industry news, data, and trends, is expecting hourly hiring managers to employ more temporary workers this holiday season than in the past holiday seasons. With seasonal hiring trends expected to increase, now would be a great opportunity to get your foot in the door with a company through temporary holiday work. While these jobs may only last a few months, try to see them as auditions where you can showcase your skills to potential employers. Also, when working through a staffing company, your work for a holiday client could be a good way to demonstrate your talents for full-time work with other client companies.

Working a holiday job gives you a chance to understand the company’s culture and values from the bottom up and will help make you a strong candidate for promotion when the job you really want is available. Kurt Kuehn, senior vice president and CFO of UPS, Inc., started as a temporary driver for the holiday season in 1977 and worked his way up in the company to eventually become CFO in 2008.

Check out these three B’s to help you stand out from the crowd, make the most of your temporary job, and possibly turn it into a full-time career.

Be Available
To better your chances of getting hired, offer to work flexible hours like weekends, nights and days on or around the holidays. The more availability you have, the more likely you are going to get more hours. You should treat the hiring process as seriously as any other job you have applied for. Dressing professionally for the interview and sending a thank you note or email afterwards will help you stand out. If you have a professional background, inform your interviewer and ask how you could be considered for other roles after being in a holiday position.

Be Attentive
Now is the time to flex those soft skills. Once you’ve been hired, look for ways to use your talents and skills to improve your work. Try taking on some extra duties, volunteering to lead team projects, working in other departments, or performing other tasks when opportunities arise. Working hard with strong enthusiasm combined with fulfilling duties the full-time employees usually avoid will help get your managers attention and increase your chances of them thinking of you when they need to fill an open full-time position.

Be Assertive
You should keep in mind that you are temporary, and there may be tasks of full-time core employees you aren’t eligible for. You could be qualified and there could be tasks in other offices that relate to your previous education or experience, but that isn’t your role as a holiday hire. You’ll have to earn their trust with your availability and determination, and letting your work speak for itself.  If you are working as a temporary associate working through a staffing company, let them know you would be interested in a full-time job and want to take a larger, more active part in the company you are assigned to.

With the holidays quickly approaching, the demand for temporary hiring will increase. If you are looking for work or are between jobs, consider temporary holiday work to earn some extra money while opening some doors to help you eventually find the right job that best fits you. Do you have any success stories where you moved up in a company after starting in a temporary holiday position? We’d love for you to share in the comments below.