Using temp workers is a great way to get an extra pair of helping hands without the financial commitment of hiring a permanent, full-time employee. However, if a permanent position does open up, you can look at your previous temp workers to see if anyone fits the bill. After all, you already have a relationship with your temp, you’ve already tried him in the position, and you already understand how well he fits into your company’s environment. Hiring a temp worker for a full-time position can mitigate much of the risk that comes with the hiring process. Here are seven questions to ask a temp worker before you hire him full time.
1. Do you want to work full time?
Not everyone is interested in working forty hours a week. Some are perfectly content working fewer hours, on a temporary basis, due to external factors. So asking your temporary worker if he wants a full-time job should be your first question.
2. Are you comfortable in a longer term role?
Temps are used to working in short bursts. They might think they’re ready for a full-time commitment, but they might not quite be comfortable with the idea. You should make it clear during your interview that you’re looking for someone to stick around for years, not just for a few months.
3. Why did you choose to work with a temporary staffing agency?
People are attracted to temporary staffing agencies for many reasons. They might be in school full time or have a family to take care of, or perhaps they just couldn’t find a permanent job in their industry of choice. Knowing why your temporary worker began working with a staffing agency can tell you a lot about the reasons he might or might not work out in a full-time position. For example, if he says he likes the flexibility and freedom of temp assignments, then he might not be right for a full-time job.
4. Why do you want to leave temporary work?
If, however, the person only engaged a staffing agency in the hopes of getting his foot in the door in a specific agency, then he’s probably looking for the opportunity to work full time within that industry if the chance came up.
5. What schedules can you work?
If your temporary worker is strictly working a particular shift—like only days or only nights, there might be a reason for it. However, the full-time position you have available might require him to move to a difference shift, and you need to make sure ahead of time whether or not he’ll be able to do so.
6. What are your job expectations?
Asking your temp worker to explain his expectations can let you know if he’s right for the job—or if he just has unrealistic expectations that you won’t be able to follow through on. You’ll get a real view of how he perceives the full-time position to be like, so you’ll see if he’ll be able to do the job or not—or even if he’ll actually want to or not.
7. What are your salary expectations?
Of course, this is always an awkward question during an interview, but it’s better to ask the question than to leave it hanging. You should both be on the same page when it comes to money. Your temp might think that moving to a full-time position will significantly increase his pay from what you’re currently paying him in his temporary position.
