Navpreet RAHI

TEMP STORY:

Videographer Nav Rahi went from Temp to permanent in three years

*This is Nav’s story in his own words (edited for length and continuity)

I had a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the College of Art in New Delhi, India, and a diploma in Photojournalism from Loyalist College in Belleville, Ontario.

After graduation, I secured a six-week photojournalism internship at CBC Toronto. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much luck finding a photography job once the internship ended. I decided to move to British Columbia to look for other opportunities.

My supervisor helped connect me with the Operations Manager at CBC Vancouver when I relocated. I was initially hoping for a photography role, but I was offered a casual videographer position, which I gladly accepted.

I started temping in December 2023 as a casual videographer but I occasionally filled in as a video producer, photographer, and editor as needed.

The main thing I loved about being a temp was having the flexibility to make my own schedule. At the beginning there was constant anxiety about not getting enough shifts and worrying about whether I would ever secure a permanent position.

Despite that, I always kept an eye out for permanent positions across Canada. Eventually, an opportunity opened up at my home station, and I applied right away. I prepared thoroughly for my board interview and spoke to as many people as possible to better understand the role. The thing that helped me the most was talking to my colleagues. They had gone through the same process and understood how everything worked, so their advice was invaluable.

My advice to other temps is to never lose hope. If you are working hard and believe you deserve a better opportunity, it will come one day. Don’t stress too much about not getting enough shifts, it really doesn’t help. Instead, talk to your manager about other possible opportunities and take on roles you feel comfortable with and check-in with your manager once a while for feedback on your performance.

Also use the resources at The Temp Project - the newsletter, database, and website were excellent tools that helped me while Temping, as were the Temp Supporters I consulted. I have now signed up to become a Temp Supporter so that I can pay it forward and advise other Temps.

Temping can feel uncertain at times, but it also gives you the chance to learn, grow, and connect with different teams. Stay patient, keep building your skills, and support others along the way.

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