Having the “just a temp” mindset will prevent you from achieving success. If you treat the job as a temporary position by not giving your all and showing little commitment, you will be treated as a temp and not offered the opportunity to stay. Acting like a permanent employee means coming to work as if you already are one. The more normal and “at home” you feel, the more you will be seen as such by others. You can get started by doing the following:  Show up on time Follow the rules Dress according to the dress code Make connections Share ideas Complete assigned tasks to the best of your ability You may not be expected to go above and beyond or even to do a good job. If you value a career opportunity, treat the position as if it is already permanent. Exceed expectations by doing  the following:  Show attention to detail, and keep mistakes to a minimum. Your supervisor will be relieved to know s/he won't have to go over your work or ask you to re-do it. Work overtime to complete projects that have strict deadlines. If your supervisor allows it, you will show dedication to the company by offering to work overtime. Participate in team meetings. Actively participate in team conversations by giving your opinions and sharing your ideas. This will show you truly want to contribute to team success. Volunteer and take initiative on special projects. Sometimes situations arise where certain team members are required to head up special projects. Do not let your temporary status get in your way. If you feel you can truly contribute to the project, volunteer! Your supervisor will appreciate your initiative. It is important to notify your supervisor that you are interested in permanent placement with the company. However, it is not good to keep talking about it, because you will seem annoying and pushy. When bringing this up to your supervisor you can choose to do the following:  Express interest at the beginning of your employment. You can simply say, “I am excited to start working with you and hope my accomplishments will prove my ability to do this job on a permanent basis.” Remind your supervisor toward the middle of your specified time with the company,  preferably after making a good contribution or completing a major project successfully. You can remind them by saying, “I really feel like I can succeed here. If I am offered this position permanently, I know I can contribute to more team successes." Have a discussion with your supervisor a few weeks before your temp status ends. Use this time to be honest about your interest in a permanent position, and remind them of your successes. You can also ask about time-frames and notices, since you would need to seek other employment if they choose not to offer you the job permanently. There is no need to keep asking about a permanent job. Your desire has been made clear, and it is up to the company now. Most likely the decision will be made collectively with input from your co-workers, supervisor, HR and possibly upper-level management.  Be patient. If you seem to fit in well and are the right person for the job, you will be offered the position.

Summary: Think and act like a permanent employee to be seen as one. Beat the temp stigma by exceeding expectations for a temp worker. Express interest in a permanent position. Wait for a decision to be made.


Sometimes all the prevention possible will not keep your white sneakers always looking clean. Before you do a thorough cleaning with a damp sponge, brush or wipe off any dirt, mud, grass clippings or sand. It’s important to get rid of excess debris, while your shoes are dry, so you don’t set stains in more. Remove your laces to get them, and your shoes, looking as clean as possible. If you attempt to wash your shoes with the laces still in them, grime will accumulate around the openings. Place laces in a small mesh laundry bag to keep them from wrapping around other laundry. Set them out to dry and do not place them in the dryer to avoid shrinkage. Drop one to two drops of dish soap on a damp sponge or dish rag. Place your sponge in a bowl of water or rinse it in the sink to dilute. Don’t use too much soap on your nice, white sneakers! Wring your sponge or rag out to remove excess water, and gently wipe your shoes down from tongue to sole.   Do not scrub leather. Carefully rub dirt and repeat if necessary. Take a wet dish rag with a dime-sized amount of laundry soap to clean canvas. Wring the dish rag out and wipe down your shoes thoroughly. Wet the rag again to remove all accumulated dirt and soap. Wipe down your shoes a second time. Repeat if necessary, and let them dry by a fan or in the open air for a few hours. Do not place canvas in the washing machine. It can tear them and yellow your soles. Even after you have thoroughly brushed and cleaned your white sneakers, you may be left with discolored areas. Leather shoe polish can take care of this. Wipe polish on with a soft cloth, like an old t-shirt, and let it dry for a few minutes. Take a clean side of your old t-shirt to lightly buff out any scuff marks.  White leather shoe polish is good for solid white shoes. Use a neutral shoe polish on white shoes that have accent colors. A neutral polish goes on clear and can be used on other leather shoes or bags.

Summary: Dry brush dirt and debris off shoes. Clean laces in the washing machine. Sponge leather shoes with a small amount of dish soap. Wipe down canvas shoes with laundry soap. Polish leather.


Different straps will require different amounts of fabric, so before buying your fabric you will want to figure out what kind of straps you want to sew on.   The most common strap type is a straight back strap, where the straps are attached to the front and go straight over your shoulders, where they attach to the back of your dress. Another strap type is a cross back strap, where the straps start in the front on one side and then cross in the back and are attached to the other side of the dress in the back. The third basic type of strap is the halter strap, which attach at the front of your dress, go up your shoulders and tie behind your neck. Once you decide what straps you want, you will need to put on your dress to get accurate measurements for your straps. You also need a flexible measuring tape to take the measurements for your straps. The measuring tape will mimic the straps of your dress so you can see how much fabric you will need. Wearing your dress, pin one end of the measuring tape where you would want your strap to start in the front of your dress. Both straps will be the same length, so it doesn’t matter which side you are measuring from.  Make sure you are using the beginning of the measuring tape, the end of the tape that starts at zero. This will make measuring a lot easier. With the end of the measuring tape pinned in the front, put the other end of the tape over your shoulder. Reach back with your arm and pin or hold the measuring tape to where you would want the strap to attach to the back.   If you chose a straight backstrap, the measuring tape should be swung over the same shoulder. If you chose a cross back strap, the measuring tape should go over your shoulder and go diagonally across your back. If you chose a halter neck, the measuring tape should go up your front to the back of your neck. Go to a mirror, still with the measuring tape pinned in the back or held in place with your hand. With your back to the mirror, look over your shoulder. You should be able to see where the measuring tape in the back is being held in place. Take note of the number in inches where the strap should end. You will want to make the length of fabric you purchase a little more than the actual measurement of the measuring tape. This gives you some leeway when you are making the straps.   For straight back and crossback straps, add four inches to the number. For instance, if your strap was 16 inches (40.6 cm), add four inches onto this so the final measurement is 20 inches. For halter straps, add about 12 inches (30 cm) on to this number. You will need enough fabric to be able to make a tie in the back, so you will need more excess fabric.
Summary: Decide what kind of straps you want. Put on your dress. Pin one end of the measuring tape at the neckline of your dress. Swing the measuring tape over your shoulder. Note the measurement. Add to this number.