From Seasonal to Full-Time: Success Stories and Strategies That Work
If you've taken a seasonal job hoping it might turn permanent, you're not alone and the odds are better than you think. Retailers like Gap Inc. recently converted over 700 seasonal workers into full-time roles, proving that temporary positions are increasingly becoming pathways to stable employment, not dead-end gigs.¹
This matters because employers are now using seasonal hiring as a way to evaluate long-term fit without the pressure of an immediate commitment, which means your performance during those few months can directly determine whether you're offered a permanent role. The difference between workers who stay seasonal and those who transition to full-time often comes down to how they approach the job.
What Employers Look for in Temp-to-Perm Candidates
Before you can position yourself for a permanent role, it helps to understand what employers are actually evaluating during your temporary position.
- Reliability and consistency. Employers need to know you'll perform at the same level whether it's your first week or your last. Letting your effort drop as the season winds down signals you're not in it for the long haul.
- Initiative beyond your job description. The workers who get kept notice what needs doing and do it without being asked. If you're only doing exactly what's on your task list, you're positioning yourself as a placeholder, not a keeper.
- Adaptability to changing demands. Employers are watching who stays composed when priorities shift or new processes roll out. Gap Inc.'s distribution centers have integrated robotics into fulfillment operations, meaning the employees who thrive learn new systems quickly rather than resist them.²
- Culture fit and team dynamics. Skills can be taught, but attitude is harder to fix. Employers pay attention to whether you collaborate well and whether other team members actually want to keep working with you.
How to Transition from Seasonal to Full-Time
Knowing what employers want is useful, but it won't matter if you're not actively positioning yourself as a permanent hire from the start.
Treat Temporary Work as an Extended Interview
The moment you clock in on your first day, you're being evaluated. Trish Sandman, who started as a temporary executive assistant at NC State's College of Education, understood this instinctively. She spent two months proving she was the right fit before her boss even posted the permanent role.³ By the time the job opened up, Sandman had already demonstrated she could handle the work, mesh with the team, and anticipate what needed doing.
This means showing up with the same intensity on day one that you'd bring to a job you're trying to keep. Don't wait until you hear about a permanent opening to start performing at a higher level, by then, impressions are already formed. Employers are watching whether you take initiative during onboarding, how quickly you get up to speed, and whether you're doing the minimum or genuinely engaged.
Demonstrate Consistent Value Beyond Your Job Description
Doing your assigned tasks well is baseline. What separates conversion candidates from seasonal placeholders is whether you're solving problems that weren't explicitly assigned to you. Jesse Dean, who transitioned from a temporary IT role to a permanent position at NC State, emphasized that hands-on experience and willingness to go beyond his initial scope made the difference.⁴
So look for gaps your team is struggling with and fill them without being asked. Volunteer when new processes roll out. Stay late when deadlines are tight. Not to be a hero, but to show you're committed to outcomes, not just hours.
Build Relationships and Seek Mentorship
Your work quality matters, but so does whether people actually want to keep working with you. Cindy Rainwater landed a permanent role at NC State partly because her co-workers and supervisor advocated for her when the position opened.⁵ She was competent and someone the team wanted to keep around.
Don't isolate yourself or treat your seasonal role like you're just passing through. Learn people's names, ask questions, and be genuinely helpful when teammates need support. When permanent roles open up, managers often extend offers to people they've already built rapport with.
Communicate Your Long-Term Interest Early
Employers can't read your mind. All three NC State employees who successfully transitioned made their intentions known when opportunities arose.
This doesn't mean demanding a permanent offer on day three but having a straightforward conversation once you've proven your value: "I've really enjoyed working here and would be interested in staying on if a permanent role becomes available. What would that process look like?"
Timing matters. Have this conversation after you've demonstrated competence, ideally a few weeks in once you've built credibility.
Adapt to Evolving Job Requirements
Retail and logistics environments don't stay static. Gap Inc.'s distribution centers now use robotics for stock delivery and order fulfillment, which means employees need to build new capabilities alongside automation rather than resist it.⁶ The workers who get kept are the ones who see technology and process changes as opportunities to expand their skill sets, not threats to their roles.
If your employer introduces new software, volunteer to learn it first. If workflows change mid-season, adapt quickly rather than complaining about how things used to be done.
Allied OneSource Can Connect You with Temp-to-Perm Opportunities
Making the leap from seasonal to full-time is easier when you're working with an employer who's actually invested in retention. Allied OneSource partners with companies that view temporary positions as pipelines for permanent talent, not just short-term gaps to fill.
We help you find roles where proving yourself leads somewhere and we advocate for candidates who demonstrate the qualities employers are looking for.
Whether you're exploring seasonal work as a career stepping stone or looking to transition from your current temporary role, we can connect you with opportunities that align with your long-term goals.
Download our Salary Guide to see what competitive pay looks like in your industry, or contact us to find roles with employers committed to developing their workforce.
References
1., 2., 6.“Gap Is Turning Its Seasonal Workers into Full-Time Employees.” Fortune, 20 Dec. 2024, https://fortune.com/2024/12/20/gap-seasonal-employees-commentary/.
3., 4., 5. Bland, Thyrie. “Employees Share Their Temp-to-Perm Journeys.” NC State News, 19 June 2023, https://news.hr.ncsu.edu/2023/06/employees-share-their-temp-to-perm-journeys/.
