The Ultimate Temp to Perm?

I will admit, I love sport, and high among my favourites is football, and therefore I follow England with keen interest.

I have often critiqued the recruitment process in football, especially for players, but that is for another time.  I was taken over the last month with the Gareth Southgate story.  I obviously don’t know Southgate, but in my opinion he should get the job; that said, I’d have given it to him permanently as soon as the position became available.

What the FA decided to do, was something akin to a temp to perm.

When you take someone temp to perm, you get all the benefits of trying before you buy, checking out how the candidate operates before you commit, getting to judge them over time, rather than just in an interview….it can be a great scenario.

There is a flip side though, the candidate is sometimes left with everything to lose!

At the outset of the contract, the candidate has the job - it’s only theirs to lose.  They then work through a trial period where they may feel everything is under the microscope; they ‘cannot make a mistake’.  It is possible that this pressure of having to prove oneself over an elongated period could prove uncomfortable for some candidates.  The same individual may blossom given the full sponsorship of a permanent role offered from day one.

Don’t get me wrong, temp to perm can be a great solution for candidates and employers alike, but don’t underestimate the value you get from making a strong and committed offer from day one.

I wonder how great Gareth may have felt had the FA said you are our man, and if the players could have worked any harder knowing they were impressing their long term boss?

You never know, but it’s worth a thought!