Whilst demand and supply changes in the contract market, there will always be the need for contractors.

One of the common contracting myths is that contract work is the boring tasks left over which permanent employees are not prepared to do. This is not the case at all. There are many reasons why firms hire contractors.

The most common reasons for hiring a contractor are:

• the project needs an expert in a particular field, not someone who has general knowledge across a range of subjects.
• they can get up and running quickly and kick start projects
• if they perform badly, then they can be sacked immediately
• the project requires a short term resource, and there is not enough work to justify a full time position
• recruiting for a permanent member of staff takes longer (typically greater than 4 weeks), and the requirement is immediate
• it is cheaper to hire a contractor who can start straight away compared to training a full time member of staff up to the same level of competence
• the skills can only be found in the contract market
• contractors are renowed for being experts at their work and prove this by being prepared to stake their quality reputation by having no employment rights at all - they can be sacked instantly.
• it can be a cost effective way of bringing in new skill and imparting it on to existing employees.

Published: Friday, May 18, 2007