Contract employees. Pros and Cons part 1

I have daily conversations with clients and potential clients about using contract/temporary employees. “Does hiring a temporary get me a person less qualified?”

It depends. In a tight employment market I would say that it often could affect the quality of person you can get and more importantly, the ability to retain that person. Using a temporary/contract employee is a tradeoff of sorts. It gives you the opportunity to get to know the person and have them see if they like their new work environment, and often it saves money and provides for more flexibility. Hiring full-time allows the employer to tough employees who are more benefits driven and stability oriented.

As an employer myself I love being able to hire someone on a temporary basis. I can watch that person for a few months and get thru that “honeymoon period” in order to see some of the challenges thay face. I have never liked hiring someone after a 2 hour interview and a few references. How can you really see if that person fits your culture?

Unemployment right now is almost 10%. Why accept getting to know someone 2 hours and than making a hiring decision? Now you can locate someone well qualified, and more importantly, find someone who “fits” your group. And this isn’t limited to lower paying jobs. Clients of mine all around the Southeast hire higher level contract employees: accountants, engineers, managers, HR people, etc. There are plenty of opportunities to find that “diamond in the rough”.

Need a short term project completed? Think about hiring a contract associate. Maybe you will have your next success story!

Herb