Well, almost a year after being on Unemployment, and three months of working as a temp, it looks as though I'm finally getting hired. Amen.

I started temping for a company at the end of July, initially filling in as the executive assistant to the two owners of the company and their CFO as well. A few weeks later I was moved over to the Accounting Department, filling in as the Jr. Accountant/Bookkeeper. A few weeks after that, I was moved over to the Production/Research & Development Department to fill in for the Production Coordinator/Librarian. I figured it would be just a matter of time before they moved me on to the Sales Department, and then after that I'd be kicked out on my ass.

But fortune has smiled upon me, and I seem to be a good Production Coordinator/Librarian, because the company has decided to hire me full time. At first, they thought I was too skilled for the position I'm currently occupying. But then they saw that I was willing and eager to do the job anyway, and at the same time they discovered I had skills to bring to the position that they didn't even realize the position might need. In this case, my skill with spreadsheets and databases. Suddenly what was supposed to be a clerk job they wanted to offer to a young person fresh out of school became an administrative/analytical role more suited to a seasoned (albeit nerdy) detail-oriented professional like me.

Now before y'all go congratulating me, please understand that I haven't yet received the official job offer, nor do I know what kind of salary they plan to start me on. I'd prefer to wait until I've signed on the dotted line before I go out and buy a bottle of cheap champagne. But since the CEO announced only yesterday in a company-wide meeting that I was coming on board, I feel pretty confident that I'll be gainfully employed – with benefits – very shortly.

So with that in mind, I thought I'd give a few tips to those of you who are, or know someone who is, looking to get a foot in the door of a company by working as a temp or as a contractor, in hopes that what worked for me might work for you.

With no further ado, here's what I advise:

• Wow them. Every chance you get. Don't play humble, don't hide your skills and knowledge. Even if they have you doing the lowliest, most boring job within the company, don't hold back. Utilize all that you have learned through the years in previous jobs and share what you know.
• Let them wow you. Don't think of this as just a temporary job where you don't need to feel involved beyond showing up every day to ensure your paycheck at the end of the week. Find out what makes this company special, what makes it tick. Get to know the people there, even if you don't interact with them on a regular basis. Be friendly with everyone, and take a sincere interest in what they have to say and in what they do.
• Go above and beyond. Don't just sit at your desk waiting for people to give you work to do. Don't hesitate to walk around and ask people from other departments, “Is there something I can help you guys with? Any projects you need a hand with?” I did this constantly over the past few months because, quite frankly, I get bored easily and I can't stand just sitting around with nothing to do. Some people can fake looking busy, some temps even have the balls to go surfing on the internet or reading through magazines while sitting at their desks, but I just can't do that. Number one, I am representing the temp agency and number two, it's just a waste of precious time – and money.
• Always keep the thought in the back of your mind that you are on one big, long, extended interview. The company that uses you on a temporary basis may very well be considering hiring someone shortly, and that someone could be you. Treat this temp/contract job as a trial period and not only be on your best behavior, but learn about the company as much as you can. Read the company's literature, and their website. Learn about their products. Understand their market, their goals. Look at the structure of their network, study their procedures, and see if you can help spot ways to streamline things. Fix things. Make things make more sense. Sometimes a temp, not being immersed in the company culture, can spot glaring errors better than a seasoned employee can. Which brings me to my next point.
• Ask questions.  Learn new things while you are there.  Share your ideas and suggestions in return. Add some value to what you're already bringing to the table. Be active and proactive and, most of all, curious. Sometimes, as a temporary employee, we are all too eager and willing to do things exactly as we are told to do them for fear of deviating from company norms. But sometimes those norms are based on faulty knowledge or outdated thinking. If you see people following procedures that could be streamlined, don't hesitate to point it out. If you see the company doing things differently than what you're used to, don't hesitate to bring it up and ask why this is so. You might very well end up teaching everyone something new, and saving the company money at the same time. This is what will help you stand out and get recognized as being not only a team player but a value-added addition to the team.

Sometimes a company might not appreciate all the thought and effort and eagerness you can bring to the table, but more often than not, you can end up being exactly what they didn't even know they needed.

It worked for me, and now....I'm working for them.

(Cross-posted from Once Upon a Paradigm)