Holiday Jobs: Turn Part-Time Gigs Into Full-Time Jobs

Nov. 16, 2009 — -- If you're looking for a permanent staff position, a temporary or seasonal gig may be the first step toward getting there.

Is There Potential?

When taking part-time work, consider the potential for a permanent position. This holiday season, UPS says it will hire 50,000 temporary workers to assist with the shipping giant's busiest time of year. The company estimates that 20 percent to 30 percent of those people will be hired into permanent positions starting at the end of January. If you take a holiday job, treat it like it has long-term potential. Show up on time, give it your all, and envision the advancement opportunities. Maximize every opportunity to get to know the long-term staffers and be sure they know of your desire to stay on.

Seek Out Companies You Admire

Pursue seasonal work with companies you admire. It's easier to show up and shine when you're working for a company with products or services that you've always valued, even from a distance. If your goal is to become fulltime, choose employers where you can show off your product knowledge during the application process. Ultimately this takes away some of the sting often associated with less than desirable seasonal shifts -- and enables you to thrive in a culture and environment you respect.

Look for Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer where you'd like to work fulltime. Give your time and talent to an organization where you could envision yourself working fulltime. Ask directly about the chances of being considered for a staff role. Be sure you treat it as seriously as you would if you were being paid, since it's the best way to convince the organization that you're serious and that you'd be an asset for a paid staff position.

Turn a Holiday Job into a Fulltime Position

Don't Shy Away From Temp Work.

Too often jobseekers say they can only pursue an opportunity with benefits, so they shun any kind of temp work. That's a mistake, especially since part-time temp work offers the chance to get your foot in the door and it places you front and center for a paid opening. The job market is showing signs of an increase in temporary hiring, which is often the step before employers make fulltime commitments to staffers. Take a temp job and prove yourself to be invaluable.

Tory Johnson is the CEO of Women For Hire and the founder of WaggleForce, a national network of local job clubs. She is the workplace contributor on ABC's Good Morning America.

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