- Jesi Bolandrina
- April 6, 2021
There’s a lot of turnover in the gig economy. You work for a lot of companies. Companies hire a lot of workers. When you find a company you like, you should show your interest in becoming a returning worker. Some people might feel like that’s being too forward or asking for a favor. Instead, consider this a form of networking that you can do every time you work a gig.
Follow these tips to become a returning worker or even be onboarded as an employee at a company you like.
Use Your Words
Sure, this sounds obvious. But you actually can just tell a manager that you’d like to work with their company again. When your job is ending, you can leave a great lasting impression on the hiring manager by thanking them. It can be as simple as: “Thank you so much for this opportunity. I was happy to be part of the team. Again, my name is _____ and I would love to work for you again when you need more workers.”
It’s that simple.
You’re not always going to look for an immediate job opportunity right there on the spot. What you’re trying to do is give a lasting impression. That can help bring you to the top of mind when a hiring manager needs to hire again. If you’ve been a solid worker since day 1, chances are they’ll be willing to bring you back.
Keep An Eye Out For Future Opportunities
Whether you’re able to verbally mention wanting to return or not, you shouldn’t wait and expect to be contacted with a new job opportunity. If you know there’s a company you want to work for again, be vigilant in reviewing their job openings and needs. Returning workers are ones who seek opportunities to take.
If you use a gig platform, see if there are any job board filters or alerts you can turn on. If you’re using a staffing agency or website, make sure you review your preferences to see if you can flag jobs as they come in.
When there is an opportunity to apply, you can mention that you had a positive experience with the company already and reiterate that you’d be happy to return. Your previous experience or training can give you a competitive edge over the other job applicants.
If Appropriate, Network with Employees
After reading this section title, you might be asking yourself, “How do I know if it’s appropriate to network with employees?” This is a tip we’re giving you but we want you to also do your best to assess if this is something that could help or harm your reputation.
For example, if you worked a gig at a warehouse where a lot of temporary workers are hired, it could be beneficial for you to network with another gig worker. Since you have similar roles and positions with the company that hired you, it isn’t a bad idea to connect and keep each other in the loop with future gigs you find.
On the other hand, it may not be a good idea to work a gig then try to ask another employee of that company for hiring opportunities. Unlike hiring managers, employees at companies that hire gig workers may not have the right sway or role to help you be hired. It may put them in an uncomfortable position where you are asking for something they can’t provide. If you made a solid impression on an employee who doesn’t oversee hiring, you could ask them to be a possible reference or put in a good word if you try to return to work.
Returning Workers Rely On Their Reputation
In the gig economy, your work ethic and your reputation can open or close doors. You have control over how hard you work and if you let a company know you’re interested. While you can’t influence if they need to hire a returning worker, you can do something to make yourself rise to the top of their list.
By leaving positive lasting impressions, constantly seeking new opportunities to work and networking when appropriate, you can be a returning worker for a company you really enjoy.
