Seasonal employment is a great way to earn extra disposable income or to have steady income while you’re between jobs. While a seasonal job is mostly seen as a short-term solution, you should approach it with the attitude that it could also help in the long-run. Here are some tips that will help you make the most of your time of seasonal or temporary employment!
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TRAINING PROGRAMS
Not all temp jobs will offer training programs, but if they do, be sure to take advantage of them and retain everything you learn, even if the job doesn’t last very long! It’s an opportunity to learn new techniques, skills, and tools that you can put on your resume, which may help you land a position in the future either directly or indirectly. Showing this type of initiative, motivation and passion to grow both as a person and as an employee will show your higher-ups that you’re serious about becoming a valuable asset. And when future employers see the level of dedication you brought to a temp position, they will see that you are a hard worker.
BUILD YOUR RESUME
Most employers question long bouts of unemployment on a resume, so if you’ve been out of work and don’t have foreseeable prospects, a temp job will keep you occupied until you find something more. It shows that you’re hard-working, motivated and will do what it takes to support yourself both from a financial and professional standpoint. You may even discover that you love the work and want to stay at that job or industry! Treat new experiences like the opportunities for personal and professional growth that they are; take the opportunity to expand your horizons and learn some new skills.
GET PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
What may be more valuable than your wages are good relationships with your bosses and coworkers. Even if there’s no opportunity for the position to be temp-to-hire, it’s still a good idea to work as hard as possible, gain favor with other staff and then ask for a professional letter of recommendation. If you can wow them and achieve all that within your few short weeks, months, etc. at a temp job, then future potential full-time employers will see that dedication and know how capable you at tackling new challenges and can quickly adapt to overcome obstacles. And if there are any doubts about your capabilities, they don’t have to just take your word for it — a favorable reference from your boss will go a long way in convincing future employers to hire you.
APPLY TO BE FULL-TIME
Even if there are no prospects of becoming a full-time employee when you start working as a temp, doing a good enough job and wowing your superiors may open some new doors for you. Employers never want to let a well-liked and productive employee go, so there’s no harm in making that decision hard for them — especially if it’s a job you enjoy and in which you feel fulfilled. Before the contracted work period is up, be sure to tell your boss point-blank that you really enjoyed working with them and that you’d love to come back as a full-timer if they’d have you. Sometimes all it takes is genuine interest in the job and hard work to convince them to make the hire. Be sure to submit your resume to open positions within the organization. After all, depending on the position and industry, it’s probably easier to hire you (an experienced worker at the company) than it is to find yet another temporary employee.
Summit Staffing has worked with job candidates and companies throughout the Midwest for over 30 years, helping to place the right people in the right jobs. If you’re interested in making a career change or just need some extra income via seasonal jobs, get in touch today!
