Robert Half Mock Interview
Master 35 Robert Half interview questions covering recruitment expertise, client relationships, and staffing industry knowledge.
Question 5 of 35
What is the difference between temporary, temporary-to-permanent, and permanent placement?
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Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
Temp, temp-to-perm, and perm are recruitment and staffing terms that you will hear daily while working for Robert Half.
Working temp means that a contractor is on a temporary contract with the staffing agency to work for their client for a specific amount of time. Temp employees are paid directly from the staffing agency, and the agency then bills the client.
Temp-to-perm is a temporary contract with an opportunity for the contractor to be hired full-time once their work performance is proven.
Perm or permanent placement is when candidates undergo a traditional screening and hiring process with the agency and their client. In the end, the hiring company makes a permanent job offer to the candidate.
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Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"I get this question from candidates a lot, and it's best to keep the answer straightforward. Temp work is contract work that can last anywhere from a couple of days to a year or more, depending on the company's hiring needs. The contractor knows the assignment can end at any time, without notice. Temporary-to-permanent occurs when that contractor is asked to stay on as a dedicated employee after the original contract period is up. Permanent placements are traditional offer-to-hire gigs where an agency's client will hire the candidate as a dedicated payrolled employee."
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