From Short Term Contract to Full Time - How to Get a Foot in the Door!

If you are looking for a permanent job in your field, but have not been offered the right position, contracting is an effective way to get your foot in the door. Here are ten tips on how to turn your contract into a full-time job:

1. Make sure to let your staffing provider know that you are interested in obtaining a permanent position. They will usually have insight into the client and may know something that will help you reach your objective.



2. Think of the time you spend as a contractor as a long-term interview. Your on the job performance can make or break your future with a company.



3. Create your own job. Look for projects you can take on and own.



4. Pay attention. Contract work is perhaps the fastest way to acquire experience, which you can use to secure a permanent position.



5. Follow through. Employers will take comfort knowing that they can depend on you in any circumstance. The better you do, the more essential you are to the firm.



6. Be social. It's important to build relationships with the people you work with. The more contact they have with you, the more likely they are to recommend you when a position opens up.



7. Secure good references -- in writing -- from the people you are working for. Ask if you can rely on them for references in the future.



8. Keep an open mind. Approach every assignment with a positive outlook - you may Learn you have an aptitude for work you never previously considered.



9. Use your contracting assignments as a way to weed out unsuitable career choices. Note what you like or don't like about each job, so you can narrow your career search.



10. Take a contract assignment while looking for a permanent job. Continuing your search shows initiative to prospective employers and provides an income, which keeps you from jumping at the first offer just for the money.

Hundreds of books have been written about interviewing, resume writing and all of the other steps to landing a job. But what about working with an employment agency like Icon to find contract or temporary work? With an increasing number of people opting out of the world of traditional, permanent jobs, knowing how to manage the relationship with an agency is a useful skill in itself.

Few people give much thought to the role played by recruiters at contract agencies. When seeking a position through an agency, it's not enough to send over a resume and wait for the phone to start ringing. An agency will most likely want to meet you, assess your skills, and give serious consideration to the best match between your background and an available position. Too often, people seeking employment through an agency dismiss their interview with an agency recruiter as a formality. That would be a mistake.

The truth of the matter is this: In the rush for qualified workers, more and more companies are using contract employment services as a "front line" in screening and interviewing candidates. While this has always been the case, to some degree, it has never been more demanding a process than it is today. Client companies may ask for drug testing, credit checks and background reports. In addition, agencies participate in assorted programs to meet corporate quality initiatives. In other words, agencies are being held more accountable than ever not only for the candidates they recommend, but for how long those individuals stay on the job and how they perform in their positions.

For today's job seeker, the message is simple. Now, more than ever, anyone seeking job opportunities through an employment service needs to develop a relationship with a recruiter. The recruitment provider needs to be familiar with your background and be comfortable in recommending you for openings. Whether or not the agency has confidence in you - in your resume, your skills, and other insights gained from an interview - will make a difference in what sort of position you get.

In working with an employment service, do not simply rely on your skills, however impressive, to find the right job. Consider your dealings with a recruiter as a critical step in the process of securing the position you want. Here are five tips to help you enhance your marketability with recruiters:

1. Be sure to have a clear, concise resume. Aside from the basics (correct spelling and grammar, etc.), your resume should avoid unique typefaces or graphic elements. Most agencies now scan resumes; for this reason, it's best to have your resume on white or cream-coloured paper with black ink, using an easily recognisable font. Think of the agency as a doorway to opportunity, with the resume as the "key" to open that door. If your "key" is on red paper, with blue ink and flowery designs all over it, chances are it may never get past the person who does the scanning. A recruiter may pick up on your skills regardless of the quality of your resume, but it's easy for a bad resume to discourage the recruiter from submitting you as a candidate. Unfortunate, but true.



2. Make contact with the agency. Don't just send your resume to an agency and assume that someone will call when a job comes up that fits your skills. A busy recruiter may deal with as many as 30 to 100 candidates at any given time. The candidate who calls the recruiter has a much better chance than the one who sends an email and forgets about it. By speaking to the recruiter, your name is more likely to come up when a position is available. By making such an effort, you are more likely to find a position that fits your skills.



3. Never be confrontational with a recruiter. Recruiting is a stressful job, like many others. If you don't agree with a recruiter's assessment of your skills, feel free to ask questions or "seek advice," but do so in a pleasant manner. Chances are, if you find yourself in a confrontation with a recruiter, you'll never hear from that person.



4. Stay in touch while looking. Don't assume a recruiter will remember you forever. Recruiters have short memories; it's not because they aren't bright, but because of the scores of people constantly coming through their offices. Meeting with a recruiter is a great start, but you need to make sure to call periodically, just to let the recruiter know you're still available. Don't insist on speaking with the recruiter; if she's not available, ask to leave a message stating that you're still available.



5. Treat receptionists and other administrative staff members with respect. Never get angry with the person answering the phone, just because you haven't heard from your recruiter. Don't expect a recruiter to call to tell you he hasn't found a job yet. Remember, recruiters make a living by finding jobs for people. If you have interviewed with a recruiter and you've left messages, you will get a call if a job is available that fits your skills.

You've interviewed with an agency or employment service, and now you're about to have another interview, this time with the company thinking about hiring you. As always in an interview, you want to conduct yourself professionally, both for the obvious reason - you want the job - and because you want to nurture the relationship with the recruiter who recommended you for the position. Here are five things to keep in mind:

1. Be on time for the interview. First impressions matter, and being late for an interview doesn't make a good impression, no matter what the excuse.



2. Do not discuss money with the interviewer. As a contractor, the agency that sent you on the interview will be your agent; your service rate/pay should only be discussed with them. An interviewer who engages in a discussion about rates is probably unfamiliar with the proper procedures for interviewing potential contract employees.



3. Please respect your agency. If you accept a contract verbally don't assume that because it's a contract job that you aren't expected to call if you decide, in the end, not to take it. This makes both you and the agency look bad; worst of all, it makes your recruiter look like a poor judge of character. Chances are, you'll never get another chance from that recruiter or company.



4. Stay through to the end of the contract. For example if you've agreed to a three-month contract, make sure you see it through. If another opportunity comes up, try to have the other employer wait until the end of your assignment. If this isn't possible, give at least two weeks notice in order for the company to find a suitable replacement. Leaving one contract for another is frowned upon, of course. Unless the other contract offers you an opportunity that you just can't pass up, you should make every effort to stay through the end of your assignment.



5. Be reasonable about money. There are any number of ways to end your career as a contractor, but one of the easiest is to ask for more money that is out of step with the duration of the contract or the market. Be sure you know what is required in the position and that you're comfortable with the pay rate. If the scope of the job changes considerably, then you would be justified in speaking with your recruiter and tabling the possibility of an increase.