Not all Contractors are Created Equal

A Stevenson & White contract candidate differs from other contractors in a variety of ways. Firstly, our contract candidates are not "temps". They are not looking for short-term "temp" assignments. They are willing to commit to the completion of specific projects and understand the importance of remaining with the company for the agreed upon period of time. Other differences with a Stevenson & White contract candidate include:

• We will only consider staffing long-term contract positions of 3 months or longer.
• We use many of the same selection strategies in placing contract positions as we do in placing permanent positions.
• We place well-screened candidates which results in a high rate of conversion from contract to permanent employment. In 2006, over 90% of our contracts were converted to full-time employment.
• Our candidates are on the employer’s payroll, resulting in the candidate receiving 100% of the salary base.
• We offer our clients a 12-month maximum fee period with no conversion fee at the end.
• We provide a 6-month guarantee for maternity leaves.
• We offer alternative business models. Call us to discuss!

Excessive work hours is one of the top reasons candidates give us for seeking new positions. Contract hiring can often alleviate the workload of full-time employees and prevent them from having to work excessive hours. If you are concerned that your staff is currently being overworked, why not consider bringing in a contractor to help alleviate the burden? You may be saving yourself more difficult staffing issues down the road!

Tip of the Quarter: Now that you have the contractor... how do you keep them?

Contract employees have become a viable alternative to the traditional employee and employer relationship for many organizations over the past couple of years. Many organizations are unable to predict consistent staffing levels to meet their demands and with one year maternity leaves and the quest for work/life balance contractors have been able to provide a convenient work force when needed. However, in this "hot market" we are constantly being asked "what can we do to try and keep these contractors for the entire length of the contract?" Here are some strategies for you to consider:

• Offer an attractive retention bonus to be paid out at the end of the contract.
• Whenever possible try to place the candidates on your benefit program.
• Provide the contractor with the power to do their job – contractors often feel they are limited in their authority to do the job they were brought in to do.
• Always have open communication with them and build a relationship. This way you will hopefully know if they are happy or not.
• Make sure you know what they wanted to get from the contract on a professional level and ensure you are attempting to deliver that.