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Photo by Georgia de Lotz on Unsplash - Image by @upklyak on freepik

We found a position with a company that we really like : the work is rewarding, the people are wonderful, the company culture is rich and we feel that we belong. One problem : we were hired on a short-term/interim contract...

- Make ourselves indispensable -

This doesn’t mean that we have to work 16 hours a day, do all the menial tasks with a smile, but rather that we have to approach each task (ordinary or not) with enthusiasm and precision. Let’s demonstrate our professional work ethic and skills, offering our services to make our supervisor and team wonder how they were functioning without us, until now.

- Let's go beyond the basic description -

Learning the ropes and doing what is expected of us is not enough, once we master our day-to-day responsibilities, let's make sure we go beyond the bare minimum. Let's think about innovative ways we could bring to our team's projects/tasks, ask for extra work or just help our colleagues in their tasks (This may involve offering to do the tasks that they like less or those for which they do not have time, or are late with).

If we don’t find the solution within our team, nothing prevents us from seeing among the other departments/sections of the company. In the cafeteria, during the coffee break or after a meeting, let's learn about the fields in which we could help.

- Let’s communicate our wish to integrate the company -

This point may sound simplistic, but there are many of us whom do not think about having this key conversation. So, now it’s time to talk... Let's chat with our manager, indicate our desire to continue working with the company, and insist that we appreciate our work. Let’s not hesitate to inquire directly about potentially vacant positions, as well as the steps to follow to be hired.

Even if our supervisor replies that there is no budget to hire us, let's take the opportunity to transform this exchange into constructive criticism, by asking for comments and feedback on our performance, as well as what we could improve.

Conclusions

Companies often use interim or short-term contracts, to fill a gap, an extra among of work, sometimes even to test a candidate for renewal or to switch a position.

So let’s not underestimate this opportunity, if we like the job and the company. Let's prove ourselves and give a good impression, maybe we could land this job in the long term.

What do you think?