Tips for Temps

The biggest mistake interim workers can make is to be shortsighted. Even brief or one-day assignments can offer many professional benefits, including the enhancement of your skill and knowledge, the opportunity to meet new people, and possible future employment. Give your all from the first to the last day you're on the job. While the position may be temporary, the impression you make is not.

When filling in on a temporary assignment, employers expect you to hit the ground running. Following these tips is a sure way to make a favorable impression at each office:

  • show up early! 20 minutes should be sufficient
  • ask questions! Before your shift starts, find out where all needed supplies are kept, how the office prefers charting to be done, how the doctor prefers the day to flow, etc.
  • be friendly! Everyone appreciates a smile ... a friendly face, a kind word, a gentle mannerism.
  • be helpful! Use your time wisely and utilize down time to help others in the office. ASK; don't wait for someone to tell you what to do.
  • Hygienists: DON'T SHARPEN! These are not your instruments, or your investment. Your idea of a sharp edge may be another hygienists idea of "ruined instruments" (and vice-versa). You may want to consider bringing your own instruments to temp assignments.
  • Clean up! At the end of the day make sure you empty all trash and leave everything clean and set up for the next day

Some temporary assignments will be more enjoyable, and others more challenging. Nonetheless, bring the same level of energy, enthusiasm and professionalism to each job. A recent survey found that 87 percent of employers said it is valuable to hire someone on a temporary basis as a means of evaluating him or her for a full-time position. Although you may be scheduled for only one day, you never know what future possibilities may arise....especially when you have left a great impression. The more professional you are when you approach a temporary assignment, the more likely managers will be to comment favorably on your performance to your staffing agency or even make you an offer for a full-time role.