Moving into a permanent position: what you need to know

There are many reasons why you may consider a permanent role after contracting, and as we continue to grow our permanent offering at Quanta we have supported many of our candidates in making the move. What are employers looking for from their next long-term hire, and how can you ensure you put your best foot forwards? With many factors playing a part in the ways people are choosing to work, it’s a constantly changing environment and so what employers are looking for is always evolving too. We assess the benefits of a permanent role and how to navigate your way into one.

Obviously, some personality types are more suited to one employment type more than the other. Whilst some people appreciate stability in their role, others relish the element of change. It’s a personal preference and it’s important to determine which you will get the most out of.

Employers looking to hire people on a permanent basis are likely to be looking for differing elements to those hiring temporary staff. It’s important to align your CV and LinkedIn profile to show employers what you are geared up to. This could include the following elements:

• Highlighting your personality traits and key achievements – these are aspects you may focus less on when compiling a contractor CV, but anyone hiring for the long term is likely to want to know that you are good fit with their company culture and hear about things you are proud of achieving in the past.
• Openly dictating where you see yourself – if you want the stability of a permanent role, mention that in your CV/profile! Employers looking for permanent staff will be glad that you plan to be there for a while.
• Not altering the length of your CV – there is a misconception around a CV having to be no more than 2 pages; if you have a lot of relevant experience, don’t be afraid to go over 2 pages. Obviously, hiring managers don’t want to read a novel (so be concise) but anything that is relevant to the role, be sure to include it.

With Quanta having traditionally been heavily contractor focused, we are proud to have developed a fast-growing, dedicated permanent division within the business over the last few years. Principal Consultant, Peter Thoroughgood, has taken on an integral role leading our permanent division; having spoken to many clients about their needs/wants, he shares his top tips for success in securing a permanent role:

‘When applying for a permanent opportunity, always try to tailor your CV to each specific role and provide a covering letter. Even simple edits to your bio can make a huge difference and show how committed you are to the vacancy.

After successful applications, the main area of focus should always be preparation for your interview. Research the company thoroughly; you can never do too much preparation and putting the extra effort in at an early stage will provide you with more confidence throughout the process.’

The global scale of permanent roles available has also not gone unnoticed, notably with many exciting opportunities available in Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Ireland, USA and India. These markets are especially large for roles within the Pharmaceutical industry – such as: QA Engineers, Validation Engineers, Regulatory Affairs Officers and Process Engineers. Also, if you boast language skills, now is an excellent time to venture into a permanent role as companies are urgently seeking individuals with linguistic abilities.

At Quanta, we pride ourselves on our candidate care and are always available to support anyone looking for a role within in Life Sciences, Renewable Energy or IT. We offer a huge variety of both contract and permanent roles, and our specialised team are well-versed in accommodating any requirements you may have. We are proud to have a dedicated, in-house Compliance team and boast 11 languages spoken across the team (English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Czech, Slovak, Romanian and Flemish!). Check out our latest vacancies today here or contact us.