During the recession, a scent of positivity can often be gleaned from the slightly ambiguous monthly employment statistics, which repeatedly suggest positive progress and waning unemployment throughout most of the country. However, sceptics are always keen to point out that a large proportion of those 'in-work' are, in fact, only in temporary or short term work, and therefore their immediate employment future is not particularly certain. This article seeks to address some of the issues which arise from participation in temporary work, and to provide some advice as to how exactly you can convert your temping into a full-time, real-world, proper-type job. Simple.
My first suggestion would be to act like good-quality hair dye, or maybe just a chameleon, and try your best to blend in. If you can gauge the atmosphere of your workplace, whether it is loud and bustling, or quiet and tranquil - it is vital that your behaviour imitates the tone of the workspace. Consequently, you will avoid making yourself an annoyance or distraction and can gradually fit seamlessly into the work team and space, complimenting the work momentum rather than disrupting it. Blending in can also relate to your appearance and general demeanour. While self-expression is always fab, at the workplace it can be a good idea to tone down some of your more eccentric qualities. Just as a shortlist try and avoid excessive facial hair, overly - fluorescent (even if it's fashionable) clothing and try not to turn up with a plethora of punkish piercings. You will be able to gauge the vibe of your specific workplace for yourself, but adapt yourself (personality and appearance-wise) in whatever way seems most appropriate.
Just as important as blending in, is blending out (*standing out for literate English speakers). If you have worked hard to get your temp job, then it is likely that you are keen to impress, and nothing is more impressive than getting your head down and producing great results in regards to whatever the powers that be demand from you.
1. Make sure that your boss/superiors always see you working hard (Facebook and Twitter are workplace no no's until you're fully established there?).2. Ensure that you are always looking to do whatever tasks are available, however menial...3. Carry out each task you are set, whether that includes the lofty heights of making tea and coffee or the miserable depths of sorting through thousands of pieces of paper and suffering a multitude of tortuous paper cuts in the meantime, with an air of positivity and a grateful/graceful smile plastered across your earnest little cheeks. Don't forget! - Positivity breeds success like yobs breed bulldogs. Sorted.
Do, do and do some more.
While you are at your temp work, you absolutely must give your employers an impression of your genius and genuine desire to work hard so that they will hopefully be incentivised to employ you long-term. A straightforward way to affect your chances is by being as diligent as a damn good doorknob. Even Buddha said: 'To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.' I'm sure you don't want to disobey a deity nor deny yourself the opportunity to do as well as possible in your professional life, so truly take this piece of info to heart. People appreciate effort and your colleagues are bound to notice if you knuckle down and will inevitably want to keep you around the office for long while to come. Be glad to do everything they ask of you and perform each task to the best of your ability. If you put your all into work, it should eventually pay off. Kerching.
Percy Vere!
Finally, while some lucky people might make best of friends with some of their colleagues, it is likely that although you will feel initially grateful and reverent towards your colleagues and employers, your proud, human being instincts will eventually emerge and at some point you will probably feel a tad resentful towards those colleagues who don't treat you quite like a proper employee and seem to revel in setting you a million little tasks which they would rather not do themselves. You cannot allow yourself to forget that everyone starts at the bottom (innuendo genuinely unintended) and the hard graft in the initial stages of your career should pay off in the long run. Take everything on the chin and think of everything as a learning curve and stepping-stone towards bigger and better things. Job done.
