In a world that is becoming increasingly volatile and unpredictable, many business leaders are turning towards a contingent workforce to meet the demands of their industry. For those that are not familiar, a contingent worker is someone who is hired for a fixed period of time. There are three significant categories of contingent workers: temp workers, consultants, and independent contractors.
There are numerous advantages to hiring contingent workers from the employer’s perspective, including financial savings, skill acquisition, and flexibility. One of the main reasons why businesses seek out contingent workers is that they need specific talent to perform certain skills. According to a 2018 report by ManpowerGroup, 45% of employers can’t find the skills they need. Hiring contingent workers may be the best solution, however, determining how to find talent and securing the right person for each role is easier said than done. Here are some tips to get you started.
How To Find Talent
Before you can begin recruiting contingent workers, you need to get organized. Carefully consider what your business needs are and where there are gaps in talent or availability. Once you have determined what type of contingent worker you need, you can decide how long you need them for. You may have a certain date or deadline for a project which will signify the ‘end’ of their contract or you may want to keep things more open with a 90-day term.
Once you’ve fleshed out the details, it’s time to write an eye-catching temporary job description.
Though writing a job description for a permanent position is different, a temporary job description should be similar yet more specific, listing project requirements, start/end dates, and defining the contingent worker parameters. It can be advisable to list a range of competitive pay ranges to get more eyeballs on your job posting.
Hiring The Right Fit
Finding talent for your contingent job role is one thing, however, finding the “right” talent is another ball game. If you’re hiring contingent workers, it is likely that you have a specific skill set in mind that the new worker will possess. When you get past phone screens and initial interviews, you should have 3-5 candidates to choose from.
To ensure that applicants fit the bill, consider implementing a testing process into your recruitment efforts. Pick out the most challenging aspects of the project and design a short but effective test to determine if the candidate can handle the temporary role. A trial project is an opportunity to see a candidate’s work in real-time and learn how they approach tasks. Once all applicants have submitted their trial projects, you can focus on finding the “one.” From there, you will need to notify the chosen contractor, present them with a contract, and begin onboarding.
The Easy Way
There are numerous advantages to hiring contingent workers from the employer’s perspective, including financial savings, skill acquisition, and flexibility, however securing the right people can be challenging. According to a report from Glassdoor Economic Research, the average hiring process in the US takes 23 days. For contingent workers, it can take even longer. Between fleshing out temporary worker needs in your organization, posting job ads, interviewing, running trial projects, and sealing the deal with the “right” worker, business leaders can spend months getting the help they need.
When business leaders need the right talent quickly, they turn to Nexus Contingent Workforce, for our experience, reputation, and industry knowledge. Whether you need a contractor for a short project or a dozen freelancers on a recurring basis, our recruiting team has the expertise you need to bring in high-quality talent fast. As your recruiting partner, we work closely with you to tailor our approach specifically to your unique hiring needs. Your brand, company culture, and vision are an integral part of the recruiting process.
Beyond recruitment, our onboarding process is designed to seamlessly introduce new talent into your workforce. We handle all pre-hiring procedures and provide you with visibility throughout the process. Additionally, NexusCW supports all compliance needs, payroll, human resources, and benefits management as needed. Contact us here to get started.
