Audition For The Job

Hiring managers, like casting directors, always look for the "right" person to fill a part - or, in the business world, a job opening. Job seekers, meanwhile, are ever eager to find positions that will give them the greatest challenge, fulfillment and opportunity for professional advancement.

For both parties, it's not always possible to be certain - on the basis of a resume and one interview - that the company and the prospective employee are indeed a good "match" for each other.

That's why many businesses and workers are getting to know each other on a trial basis first. Candidates come on board as temporary employees - "auditioning" for the job, in effect, while employers evaluate their performance.

"Auditioning" as a temporary has several advantages for job seekers. First, it's an effective way to "comparison shop" while still earning income. By working in a variety of settings, you have a chance to evaluate first-hand the responsibilities and challenges involved in a given position.

A second advantage is that auditioning is a good way to get acquainted with the culture at a given company. You gain valuable insights about the personalities and work-styles of your prospective supervisor and colleagues - information that can't be conveyed in the typical job interview.

Just like an actor auditioning for a role, you have a chance to prove yourself and demonstrate your talents when you accept a job on a temporary basis. Nothing is more compelling for an employer than actually seeing the kind of work a prospective employee can do. In fact, it's not uncommon today for a position to be created based on a temporary's exceptional skills.

Businesses Increasingly Use Temp-to Hire Approach

The temp-to-hire strategy is gaining popularity among businesses for a number of reasons. Many companies have endured painful downsizings and are extremely cautious about over hiring. In such cases, managers are often reluctant to rely on reference checks and a first impression alone - they want to observe a prospective employee's actual performance on the job day-to-day.

In other cases, positions have become more complex and specialized. Employers with precisely-defined needs are eager to find exactly the right person, and often prefer to hire candidates on a "temp-to-perm" basis first.

The practice of auditioning candidates is also popular among companies in transition. Such companies may be expanding a division, launching a new product or staffing up again after a slow period, and therefore need to experiment with staffing to find the right level of personnel.

Making Temp-to-Hire Work for You

There are two ways to make auditioning an element in your overall job search strategy. One is to propose the idea during interviews. This is often the perfect way to get a "foot in the door," particularly if the employer seems tentative or hesitant about committing to hiring you full-time. Simply say, "Could we try this on a trial basis?" You might suggest that, after three or four weeks, the hiring manager could then evaluate your prospects for full-time employment.

Another way to audition for a position is to register with a specialized temporary service. Temporary work is often ideal for parents of young children, retired workers seeking supplemental income, students on summer break or professionals steering their careers in new directions.

Temping as a route to full-time employment isn't for everyone, but for professionals searching for the perfect "role," auditioning for the job could just be the sneak preview of a major career hit.

For more information, please contact Mark Malone, branch manager of Accountemps, at mark.malone@accountemps.com or 214.468.9191.