I am in a temporary one-year position (not in the tech field) hired directly by the company so no recruiter involved. At three months in I asked about how I could transition to full time (my manager previously mentioned he was pleased with my performance and was impressed how quickly I was able to ramp up). The response I received from my manager was that I would have to wait until closer to the end of my one-year contract when a “headcount” would be completed. My manager also asked if I was looking for another position (I said No) and to inform him if and when I do.
I took that as a sign that I should start looking, but I’m now wondering how I should communicate my reason for looking for a new position during interviews with a potential employer. What would be the professional manner of answering such a question?
“Looking for a new opportunity”, “want to challenge myself more”, “looking for something that aligns better with my interests” etc. Those are some of the usual lines you give in corporate America when you want out.
But in your case, you could just tell the truth. That you’re in a temp position and you’re looking for something permanent. That’s a perfectly valid reason for interviewing.