What is Temp-to-Hire and Why You Should Consider It
Posted November 9th, 2010
If you’ve been looking for work with a staffing service, you may have come across something called a temp-to-hire job. Just exactly what is temp-to-hire, and why should you consider it?
In a temp-to-hire job, you work through an agency, which places you in a temporary assignment with a company. If you do well in the assignment, you may be hired on as a permanent employee of the company.
But it is important to note that having a temp-to-hire position does not guarantee that you will be hired on as a permanent employee. The company may decide that it really doesn’t need to fill the position, or that it needs to trim its expenses by cutting some jobs, for example.
But there are many good reasons to consider taking a temp-to-hire position. One reason is networking. When you sign on as a temporary, you get to meet many new people at the company where you are working, people who work in your area and who will get a chance to see your work. If they like what you do, they will be able to refer you to other people. You also get a chance to see what the job market is like in your area of expertise.
Another reason to take a temp-to-hire job is to give a boost to your self-confidence. If you’ve been job hunting for a long period of time, you know how it can wear you down. You’re getting rejection letters (or e-mails), and the experience may have been a disappointing one. Taking the temp-to-hire job will remind you how good you are at what you do, and will help to rejuvenate your job search.
Also, temp-to-hire is an opportunity to help you build up your rèsumè. As a temporary, you may get a chance to work in a new area and acquire new skills that you can then include on your rèsumè. You may be able to strengthen your rèsumè where it’s less than stellar, learn a new technology or a new business method.
Temp-to-hire also is a good way to get your foot in the door. As was mentioned, if you do well in the job, the odds are good that you will get hired to a permanent position. If things don’t work out, there is little loss for company and for you, since it was only a temp position to begin with. Your staffing manager will then work to find you another temporary, temp-to-hire or even direct-hire (where you’re hired on to a company’s payroll without working there on a temporary assignment first) assignment.
If you have experience in green technology, managed services or in the science, construction or manufacturing industries, Bayside Solutions wants to hear from you. We have many terrific temp-to-hire assignments (as well as temporary and direct-hire) at some of San Francisco’s best companies. Contact us today!
