If you’re coming to the end of your seasonal role and are surprised by how quickly the time passed, you’re certainly not alone!
During the busy holiday season and with the end of the year almost upon us, the pace at work—no matter what industry you’re in—usually ramps up significantly, including for temporary employees. But before the position itself ramps down, there are a few things to keep in mind.
When you know that you’re in a seasonal role, it gives you a great head start to do some planning! Even if you haven’t been super future-focused from the beginning of the position and the end of the role is sneaking up on you quickly, there’s still time to get ahead. Create a budget and get serious about spending and saving. In particular, give a lot of thought to how much you’ll need to tide you over until the next step in your career journey. And be proactive about that journey! Talk to your manager now about serving as a reference for you and even ask ahead of time for recommendation letters. Pick their brain about future opportunities and invite advice about everything from job-seeking to networking to developing your skills.
This is also a great time to do some reflection about where you want your path to take you—and what you can be doing today to get there. Think back on what you’ve learned throughout this seasonal role: the type of work that resonated with you, the environment in which you thrived, your own strengths and weaknesses. Even though the position itself is temporary, the lessons you’ve picked up along the way don’t have to be!
Doing a deep dive into what worked well in this seasonal position can go far in helping you shape your future career. Today’s world of work is increasingly mobile, as employees try out temp jobs, gigs and more to gain new experiences—and they’re finding that they can transfer and hone their skills with each new role they take on. For instance, if you eventually have your sights set on becoming a project manager, you can use temporary positions as stepping stones to mold the skills you’ll need to succeed—take on roles that allow you to work on your communication, leadership, conflict resolution and even technical skills. Make sure to update your resume—and LinkedIn and other online profiles!—with all of the skills and experiences you pick up as you strive toward your eventual career goals.
For now, you’ve worked hard this holiday season—you deserve a breather! As you near your offboarding and prepare for your position to wind down, use this time to take stock, reassess and get reenergized about the potential that’s to come!
