The holiday season is a perfect time to find a short-term, contractual, and temporary role. Although these types of roles only last for the holidays, they can offer more benefits than just extra income. One benefit is to leverage that experience into a full-time job.

It may seem tough but it is not far-fetched. Here are few tips on how:

Show your commitment

According to the guide ‘Employee Engagement and Commitment: A Guide to Understanding, Measuring and Increasing Engagement in your Organization’, employees who are engaged in their work and committed to their organizations give companies a crucial competitive advantage — including higher productivity and lower employee turnover.

Commitment is a highly valued virtue and employers are more likely to promote employees who take their role seriously. Being punctual, reliable, and demonstrating a positive attitude can go a long way. Building trust and showing your employer that you are dedicated and serious about your work will amplify your chances to get noticed.

Be proactive

You may question if it makes a difference to be proactive in a temporary role. However, research indicates that being proactive at work adds meaningfulness to work. Take initiative and go an extra mile looking for ways to contribute more. This can mean giving suggestions for improvements or taking on additional tasks.

Being proactive not only helps to showcase your capabilities and take on new responsibilities, but also gets you noticed. Employers remember the hard workers.

Network within the company

Did you know - 85% of jobs are filled by networking and professional connections? Build relationships with your colleagues and supervisors. Attend company events or social gatherings to get to know people from different departments. Be intentional about the relationships you build.

One great tip on networking is to think how you can be useful to your network versus how they can help you. This way you take charge and begin building a relationship as opposed to waiting. Networking can help you gain visibility within the organization and increase your chances of being considered for a full-time position.

Express your interest

In most temporary or contractual positions, you will work closely with a supervisor. During the hiring process or during your work, express your intention explicitly to turn the role in a permanent position.

Let your supervisor or HR department know that you are interested in a full-time role. Show your enthusiasm for the company and your willingness to continue working beyond the seasonal period. This will ensure that you are on their radar when full-time opportunities arise.

Update your resume

According to research by Monster.com 8% of Americans do not recall the last time they updated their resume. Our Agilus recruiting consultants tell us that when they reach out to job seekers, most of them have not updated their resumes as well – so it’s not just Americans. Your work in a temporary or seasonal role offers work experience and maybe even new skills.

Highlight the skills and accomplishments you have achieved. This may include:

• Working in fast-paced environment
• Multitasking
• Communication skills
• Fast learner/agile
• Customer service
• Team player
• Punctual
• Working independently

Make sure to also mention any special accolades/achievements that you might have earned during the role. Let your resume showcase how your experience aligns with the requirements of a full-time position within the company. And don’t forget about updating your LinkedIn profile and uploading your new resume to any jobs boards you are registered on.

Stay informed about job openings

It is a good practice to regularly check new jobs within the company. You can also subscribe to their job alerts. Even after your contract gets over, regularly check if they have a full-time role that aligns with your skills.

Having worked with them already, you have an insider advantage. You can improve your chances by asking for a referral from your former manager. Being proactive in your job search will increase your chances of finding a full-time position.

Turning a seasonal job into a full-time role requires dedication, hard work, and a proactive approach. By following these steps, you can increase your chances of finding a job.

Seek out references

If you are new to Canada or recently graduated from school, references who are not family friends or professors are gold. Even if you do not want a permanent role at your seasonal employer, make a lasting impression so you can secure a few references.

Broaden your job search

If your seasonal employment does not secure you a fulltime role at that location or business, expand your horizon. Look at the business’ competitors. Without breaking any confidentiality agreements, leveraging your experience at Company A means you are a great hire for Company B as you already know the role and to a degree the business. The opportunity to gain work experience, brush up on some of your existing skills or learn some new ones is never a waste of time. As your seasonal employment ends or slows down over the holidays, start planning for full-time employment in 2024.

Looking for employment? For more than 46 years, Agilus has served our candidate and employer networks, connecting job seekers with meaningful opportunities. We place nearly 10,000 job seekers in roles every year in Engineering, Technology, Professional/Office, and Light Industrial roles. Check out or open roles on our job board, create a job alert or build a profile so any of our more than 100 recruitment professionals can find you quickly when a role becomes available. Please follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for job seeking tips and new roles.