Patrick Ropella

Q: My co-workers are all temporary staff. How do I become permanent?

A: Businesses hire temporary workforce for a variety of reasons. Sometimes these positions lead to full-time opportunities. Here are a few tips to increase your value in the company and improve your chances of staying on permanently:

■  Temporary staff is often hired to alleviate overworked employees. Cover the everyday duties assigned to you so co-workers learn to depend on your help.
■  Track your activities in a daily time log and use the record to evaluate your critical contributions to the company.
■  Notice how long you’ve been working in a particular position. If you’re needed in one spot for more than six months, suggest that the company hire you permanently.
■  Point out the learning curve required for the position you filled. It might be worthwhile for the company to bring you in full time to eliminate a productivity gap resulting from rapid turnover of temporary employees.