3 Things to Consider Before Selecting a Contract Engineer
The decision to hire a contact engineer is often a good one…but it’s just the first step. You still need to find the right engineer for your project. Here are a few things to consider before making your decision.
Are you going to use a staffing agency or find your own engineer?
The most common way to find a qualified contract engineer is through a staffing agency or recruitment firm. These businesses specialize in sourcing talent on behalf of their clients. Among these groups, there are general agencies that fill positions across multiple different industries or more specialized contractor-focused firms like Expect.
Typically, agencies are paid after you move forward with their candidate, so this option comes with a guarantee of sorts.
If you are willing to roll the dice, finding your own contract engineer is a viable option. When it works, it is by far the most cost-effective way to hire.
It is like DIY home plumbing in this regard. If you have the time and knowledge to pull the job off it’s great. If you don’t, then things can get messy in a hurry and the problem can become more expensive to fix.
How much time can you contribute to the hiring process?
Like anything worth doing, finding the right contract engineer for your needs takes time. If you think you are going to be able to throw together a quick job posting, interview a few candidates, and be done with it, you should consider going with an agency.
Writing a job posting takes time. Sifting through resumes and cover letters takes time. Interviewing takes time. Evaluating takes time.
If you have some time to devote to hiring (but not enough to handle everything) try looking for a contract engineer agency that keeps you involved throughout the process. If you don’t have any time, there are outsourced options that handle everything on your behalf.
What kind of contract engineer are you looking for?
There are some key differences between the types of temporary contracts you can offer. Do you want to work with a clearly defined start and end date, or would you prefer to go with a contract-to-hire engineer that leaves the door open for future full-time employment?
There are pros and cons to both, but if you opt for the latter, make sure your contract engineer is legally able to accept long-term work in the United States, as many skilled software engineers are in the country on temporary work visas.