Advice for Holding a Temporary Administrative Professional Position

Temp Wanted! Tips for Succeeding as an Interim Administrative Professional

by Diane Domeyer, executive director of Office Team

If you’ve been thinking about working as a temporary or contract professional, you’re not alone. An increasing number of support staff are choosing temporary work as a means to secure experience, build skills and explore new career options. Many individuals also are attracted to the flexibility and variety of assignments this arrangement provides.

Companies are turning to temporary workers to assist with workload peaks and special projects, creating a multitude of opportunities for skilled administrative professionals. In fact, according to a survey by our company, 46 percent of firms are using more temporary professionals today than just five years ago.

If you choose to pursue this career path, consider the following advice for maximizing your experience:

Understand your duties. The better you comprehend the nature of the assignment, the better you’ll be able to perform. Reviewing the basic job responsibilities and objectives with your manager and clarifying all aspects of the project at the outset will help avoid confusion and misunderstandings.
Ask for help. Don’t be hesitant to ask questions and seek more information when necessary. For example, you may need instruction on a proprietary database system, unique business protocols or customized features of a software application in order to perform your best.
Seek feedback. Request feedback on your performance from your supervisor and those with whom you work closely. Remaining open to guidance and constructive criticism will enable you to be more effective and productive in your role.
Take assignments seriously. While the position may be temporary, the impression you make is not. So be enthusiastic and willing to go the extra mile when given projects. Brief assignments can yield many professional benefits, including offers of full-time employment. Often, companies view a temporary engagement as an on-the-job interview. And interim workers who perform well may rise to the top of the candidate list given their proven performance and ability to fit within the corporate culture. It’s not surprising, then, that 87 percent of executives polled by OfficeTeam said it’s valuable to hire someone on a temporary basis as a means of evaluating him or her for a full-time position. Maintaining a professional attitude throughout your temporary assignment demonstrates to the employer that you mean business and positions you well for future projects or even full-time employment.:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Diane Domeyer is executive director of OfficeTeam, the nation’s leading staffing service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled administrative and office support professionals. OfficeTeam has more than 300 locations worldwide and offers online job search services at www.officeteam.com.