A contract-to-hire position is like a trial run for a permanent job. Employers offer a candidate a contract for a specific work period, then they determine if they will hire the candidate full-time.
Contract-to-hire positions may be offered for multiple reasons, including budget or to ensure the proper fit. In this way, the employer can use a contract-to-hire offer to test the candidates’ skills and fit and the candidate can evaluate the company’s culture and suitability for the long term. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement for both sides of the equation.
Benefits of Contract-to-Hire for Employers and Employees
HR departments are often some of the busiest in an organization. Hiring is a significant component. With a contract-to-hire position filled by a recruiter, HR can simply outsource these typically tedious and time-consuming tasks. That outsourcing is less risky because employees are not receiving permanent roles and staffing agencies, especially those who specialize, have pre existing relationships with the best candidates.
This also means that interviewing and hiring can happen a lot faster. As a consequence, projects and goals do not sit unmet during a lengthy hiring process. Contract-to-hire expedites the entire interview and hiring cycle so that the organization sees value sooner. For companies with an immediate need or capacity challenges, contract-to-hire can be the perfect solution.
Of course, for both employer and employee, the ability to engage in a trial run is a clear benefit. Many companies are well aware of the disappointing experience of hiring an employee only to discover that they are not a good fit. With contract-to-hire, employers can test an employee’s skills and qualifications in real-time.
For candidates, this trial run works much the same way, offering an opportunity to decide if the job will be worth keeping. In a short-term contract-to-hire, even if things do not work out, they gain skills and contacts that can be extended to the next job. If they do not secure a full-time role or choose not to accept an offer, there is no long-term negative impact.
You can consider a contract-to-hire role as a working interview. It is an opportunity for both employer and employee to impress and test out that important fit. It also gives employees a chance to negotiate if they get a permanent offer, with a better understanding of the business and what value they add.
For employers in particular, contract-to-hire positions can help extend a hiring budget. If one period has funding to bring someone on temporarily, contract to hire gets that role filled. If that person or position adds clear value to operations, it is easier to justify changing the budget to accommodate a permanent hire.
The same holds for specific business needs, to test if the company would genuinely benefit from a particular skillset or resource. For example, if a business is trying to win an account but will not need a specific role unless they do, contract-to-hire can help. They can bring someone on as a contractor and try to win the account, offering a permanent position if that happens. If they lose the account, however, they are not left with an unnecessary yet permanent hire.
How to Find a Contract-to-Hire Worker or Job
Working with a recruiter to fill contract-to-hire positions will put you on the path to success. For companies looking to hire, recruiters will better understand your business and what you need from a contractor. We can then place the candidates that fit best and have the most potential to become permanent workers.
For candidates, we do much the same, matching you with our open positions that offer the salary, flexibility, and culture that matches your goals. We believe in building relationships between candidates and organizations rather than simply placing people anywhere they might fit. Our goal, for both employee and employer, is to bring people together in a mutually beneficial way.
We can place candidates in situations with a defined contract period or with extended contracts. We recognize that each hiring situation is different and work to understand its long-term goals, budget, and requirements.
For candidates and hiring organizations, we are here to help you navigate the world of contract-to-hire positions. We understand the advantages that they offer and will use our expertise and experience to ensure that we pass those benefits onto you.
We’re looking forward to learning more about your needs. If you are interested in a contract-to-hire position, please check out the Mitchell Martin career site and apply today. If you are a hiring manager and want to learn more about how a contract-to-hire candidate can help you achieve your hiring goals, contact us using our staffing request form.