Good morning, folks! Currently doing a 6-month contract at an engineering firm. Really want to convert this to permanent. What's worked for you all in similar situations?
Morning! You're already ahead of the game by thinking about this early. I successfully converted a contract engineering role last year, and honestly, the biggest thing was demonstrating value beyond my job description. There's a solid resource at Clark Atlanta's career development site about turning part-time, seasonal jobs into full-time permanent positions (https://cpd.cau.edu/blog/2025/11/26/how-to-turn-a-part-time-seasonal-job-into-a-full-time-permanent-science-or-engineering-career/) in science and engineering. The article breaks down skill development and relationship building strategies really well. From my experience: document your wins (even small ones), learn the business side of projects (not just the technical stuff), and make yourself the go-to person for at least one specific thing. I became the person everyone asked about a particular software tool, and that specialization made me harder to replace. Also, network internally - grab coffee with people outside your immediate team. When positions opened up, I had advocates in multiple departments. Don't wait until month 5 to express interest in staying - plant those seeds around month 2 or 3.
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