Professionals are entering into temporary placement work for a variety of reasons – returning to work, developing their skill set or building their experience.
With 80% of our temp placements moving into permanent roles, candidates are using this experience to skip over the nerve-racking interview process to land themselves a full time position.
Backed with two decades of experience, we have collated 9 essential tips for temps to implement to succeed in their placements.
1. Showcase your skill set
Put your best foot forward and showcase everything you have. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your suitability for the role and offer insight into the capabilities you may have for other roles.
2. Be resilient and adaptable
Every temp placement is going to be different – different work culture, different organisation, different supervisor. It is very important that you remain resilient to these changes and adapt to the environment around you. Utilise your communication skills to build a rapport with the supervisor and others you may be working with.
3. Nail your first impression
Common sense rules apply here
- Arrive 10-15 minutes earlier than your scheduled start-time
- Dress in smart, professional attire.
- Greet your supervisor and other staff members with a smile and a handshake
- Be prepared – do you have everything you need to complete your job?
- Keep your elevator pitch in the back of your mind – know what is acceptable to talk about in the office space and be able to present yourself professionally.
- Know what the company/organisation is about before you start and who you will be reporting to.
4. Stay engaged
Remove distractions – turn off your mobile, do not answer personal emails and stay away from wearing headphones.
5. Commit start to finish
Signing on to a placement is a commitment that you are not only making to the organisation, but is also a reflection of your work ethic and values of commitment. Before signing onto a role, ensure you know the hours and requirements of the job, to ensure you are able to commit from start to finish,
6. Avoid office politics and gossiping
Keep your head down and get on with the task at hand. Avoid office politics and gossiping. Maintaining professional and friendly conversations will ensure you are viewed as a committed and hard working temp.
7. Know what is expected
Communicate with your supervisor and your temp recruiter. Before starting the role, ask your recruiter about the role and what is expected. Upon meeting your supervisor, identify what is expected of you under what time frame. Clear expectations will allow you to best showcase your skill set and to perform at a high standard.
8. Document what you have done
Keep a list of tasks that you have completed so that you can identify the skills that you are developing and to use as a point of reference for feedback and reflection with both your supervisor and recruiter.
9. Ask questions
It’s better to ask and get it right, rather than to assume and get it wrong. Whilst initiative goes along way, use your resources when you are unsure about a certain task. This could be a colleague, a supervisor or even your recruiter
For more information, contact Annette on (07) 3211 0001.