May be let go for asking to be made permanent

Velli

My manager met with the same recruitment agent today who placed me in this role 6 months ago.

Ive been temping on a weekly contract as a credit controller and asked on monday if I could be made permanent after 6 months of weekly temping! The meeting got a little heated as along the way each month I was given assurances and empty promises that the role would be made permanent only to be told 'it is what it is'. The writing is probably on the wall but what I want to know is how long do I probably have from this point until they find the next schmuck who will put in all those hours late at night to for example reduce their bad debt from 1.1 million to 0.3 million?

Despite being the only temp on the team of 5 people I am by far the hardest working member of the team and get the most work done (its not even close) but because I was seated so far from the team I have been branded aloof and distant when really I just like to keep my head down and get work done! It feels like everytime I look over my teammates are chatting away for most of the day literally.

Lastly on those many late nights Ive somewhat gained a rapport with the CEO who is usually the only other person in the office after 8pm with me and commends me sometimes on the progress I make so Im just wondering if I could use this somehow to my advantage?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated

KatrinaWaves

Mention to the CEO on one of those late nights alone that you love the job and you’re hoping to be made permanent soon. Leave it at that. 

However, rapport doesn’t always mean much when it’s about money and the bottom line. 

Velli

KatrinaWaves said:

Mention to the CEO on one of those late nights alone that you love the job and you’re hoping to be made permanent soon. Leave it at that. 

However, rapport doesn’t always mean much when it’s about money and the bottom line. 

Thing is Ive shown my hand by asking the AR manager to make my position permanent and I was given a resounding no as the business has a 'strict headcount'. I feel like I need to act fast as a couple days later she meets with the same recruitment agent? As I write this the CEO is the only other person in the office right now. Should I approach and explain? Whats the ramification of going over her head 5 rungs above? Lastly this is a multi-billion pound company so part of me feels like Id be bothering him with little people's problem...

KatrinaWaves

I can’t tell you what to do. But your immediate manager will have word from elsewhere about headcount, money, etc etc 

Velli

KatrinaWaves said:

I can’t tell you what to do. But your immediate manager will have word from elsewhere about headcount, money, etc etc 

Ok thank you. Can I just ask how long the recruitment process usually takes so I can somewhat plan my immediate future? I know its like asking how long is a piece of string but assuming the agent was told today to start looking do I have 1 week (1 paycheck), 2 weeks or more?

JReacher1

If there is a headcount problem then there isn’t much they can do about it. Unless they sack one of the other four to make a space for you then I don’t see what options they have to keep you. 

I’m not sure how big the company is but a CEO probably won’t intervene to force a department to make a temp permanent.  It creates a bad precedent and undermines your manager. 

Velli

JReacher1 said:

If there is a headcount problem then there isn’t much they can do about it. Unless they sack one of the other four to make a space for you then I don’t see what options they have to keep you. 

I’m not sure how big the company is but a CEO probably won’t intervene to force a department to make a temp permanent.  It creates a bad precedent and undermines your manager. 

Thats so unfortunate.

elsien

What does "the meeting got a little heated" mean in practice?
Is it possible that it is your response that has burnt your boats as opposed to the other factors?

TELLIT01

Getting 'a little heated' with your manager is not a great career move, particularly when you are on a temporary contract and actually need their help to get any changes made.  Irrespective of that, if there is a head count cap there is probably nothing the manager can do at this stage anyway.  Many companies have a separate budget for temporary staff.

Even if the manager had given in to the demands and made you 'permanent' they could still have fired you the following day as you have under 2 years service with the company.

Velli

elsien said:

What does "the meeting got a little heated" mean in practice?
Is it possible that it is your response that has burnt your boats as opposed to the other factors?

TELLIT01 said:

Getting 'a little heated' with your manager is not a great career move, particularly when you are on a temporary contract and actually need their help to get any changes made.  Irrespective of that, if there is a head count cap there is probably nothing the manager can do at this stage anyway.  Many companies have a separate budget for temporary staff.

Even if the manager had given in to the demands and made you 'permanent' they could still have fired you the following day as you have under 2 years service with the company.

Dont think so I was calm, cool and collected in my responses mentioning to her about the promises she made me about an offer of a contract down the line. 

wilfred30

To recap, on Monday you asked your manager if you could be made permanent, pointing out their previous assurances and were given a resounding 'no' due to their strict headcount.  Then yesterday, your manager had a meeting with your recruitment agent.

If you are the only temp in the company (unlikely), I'd say you have about a week before you are replaced with another temp.

Don't forget, it's cheaper for the company to keep you on as a temp than to make you permanent as, apart from anything else, they would have to pay the agency an introduction fee.