How to Approach Your Manager About a Full-Time Opportunity as a Temp

You’ve been working at your current post as a temp for a while now. You love the position. You love the company. You love your co-workers. You respect your manager and you buy into the firm’s overall mission.

You decide your goal is to turn the temporary gig into a full-time opportunity. But how do you make that transition? It’s like the professional equivalent of figuring out how to get out of the “friend zone.”

While the precise process of transitioning to a full-time position differs from situation to situation, there are some common themes. Here are some general steps you can take to make your goal more likely to come true:

Lay the Groundwork

Once you decide to ask for a full-time position, don’t just walk into the manager’s office in the next moment and start talking about it. That kind of move represents a big commitment for a company, so don’t treat it like a casual request. You need to perform some due diligence and start laying the groundwork.

Do some research. Make a plan. Hone your pitch ahead of time. Realizing you want to transfer out of your temp role is only the first step in a long process.

Know the Situation

If your company has never turned a temp into a full-time staffer, you might be facing a significant struggle. However, if that kind of progression happens all the time, your task becomes much easier.

Find out your company’s policies on turning temp workers into full-timers. Have a feel for the process and an understanding of what kind of convincing your manager will have to make to the higher-ups.

Think About Timing

You don’t want to ask to become a full-time staffer the day after the company lays off 200 people and announces a hiring freeze. However, if you know the company has been actively looking to hire, or if a project you have worked on just received the green light to expand, it might be the perfect time to float the idea of a more permanent role for you.

Drop Some Hints

You don’t want to surprise your manager with a request for a full-time assignment. It would be like talking about marriage on a first date. You want to ease into the conversation.

Bring up the idea slowly at first, letting the topic flow naturally out other business conversations. Get a feel as to your manager’s opinion on the subject before making a formal request. Ideally, your official conversation on the subject should start with something like, “We’ve been talking for a long time about me taking on an expanded role …”

Make a Thoughtful Pitch

Don’t expect the company to make you a full-time employee out of kindness. You shouldn’t center your request on ideas like loyalty or hard work. It’s a business, after all. You have to make a detailed case about how the move would boost the bottom line.

When you make the request, back it up with meaningful evidence. Come armed with stats and details about your contribution to the team. Explain how making you a full-time employee will help the company long term.

Finding opportunities that can grow into long-term relationships is the key to building a sustained career. SmartTalent can help you find these kinds of placements. Contact SmartTalent today to learn more.