The theme of the past few months has been that of uncertainty. We have been hearing varying responses when it comes to hiring practices during COVID – everything from business as usual, to hiring freezes, to unfortunate layoffs.

Some businesses are starting to get back to the office, others are planning for a 2021 return, some aren’t ever going back, and many still just don’t know.

Given the world still has so much uncertainty, we are seeing an uptick in hiring for contract workers, which doesn’t come as a surprise since it’s the perfect solution for immediate, on-demand talent without the commitment of hiring someone permanently.

Landing Point is an expert in contract recruitment – we specialize in placing temporary workers across a variety of functions including Administrative, HR/Recruiting, Accounting/Finance, and Sales/Marketing for as short as a one-day assignment through to a year or more. We fully vet potential candidates so that when needs come up we have fantastic people ready to work with a moment’s notice. Thinking about hiring temporary workers or taking on temporary work? One of our first blog posts on The Point was about the benefits of temporary work/hiring to both the hiring company and job seeker. We’ve updated the benefits below given today’s market:

Benefits to companies hiring:

1. Flexibility: Hiring temporary workers allows companies to scale their workforce up and down depending on business needs without the costs and process of onboarding and offboarding. During these uncertain times we are in, hiring on a temporary basis is a low commitment option to getting great, fully vetted talent on demand.
2. Get the help you need immediately: Companies who may have immediate hiring needs, but can’t afford to wait to go through an in-depth interview process, turn to agencies like Landing Point to hire temporary workers to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Our team is always speaking with qualified job seekers who are either looking or are open to temporary work so that when a temporary hiring need comes up, we are able to move quickly!
3. Minimal risk: When hiring a temp through an agency, like Landing Point, all administrative costs for payroll, benefits, and the manpower of managing the candidate falls on us – there are no administrative/financial risks to the hiring company. Making a wrong permanent hire can cost a company about 30% of the candidate’s first year’s earnings in addition to a blow to the company culture and morale.
4. The opportunity to try before you buy:  Hiring on a temp basis allows both hiring managers and temporary workers to ensure there is a mutual fit upfront which makes for a more confident hire if/when a company converts the person permanently. Also, if you are hiring for a new role the company has never had before, it’s helpful to have a trial run to see how the position may fit into the organization to ensure it’s needed and set up for success.
5. Ability for leadership to focus on their core business: Having a VP of Strategy spend time on a low-level data entry project isn’t time and resources well spent – when there is a one-time project, but not an ongoing need for someone with a specific skill set, it’s more effective to be able to hire a skilled temp worker to focus on and complete the project, that way permanent staff can focus on their core responsibilities and tasks.

Benefits to job seekers:

The benefits to the companies ring true for job seekers as well, such as being able to try the company before committing, access to immediate work, and an easier exit if proven to not be a fit. Below are additional benefits of taking on a contract or temporary work:

1. Bridge resume gaps and learn new skills: Many people have lost their jobs due to COVID and layoffs are continuing to happen every day. While recruiters will be sympathetic to the current situation, taking a contract or temporary role instead of waiting for the perfect permanent position for months, will look great and keep you in the game. Plus, a temporary position could lead to a permanent role in the future.
2. If you are looking to change careers, temporary work provides an opportunity to test a new path and gain experience: The COVID pandemic has provided a time for reflection and re-evaluating priorities as people have been spending more time at home and with family. Many are finding it may be time for a change – while making a career change can be scary and risky, taking on a temporary position in a potential new field is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with less of a commitment than a permanent position.
3. Get a great brand name on your resume: There are reputable brand-named companies that hire solely on a temp basis to start. If you are dying to get into one of these top brand-named companies, consider opening your search to temp opportunities. This could be your foot in the door or at the very least be a resume builder.
4. Potential to go perm: Temping can lead to a perm role – one third of temporary workers are offered perm work and two-thirds of temporary workers accept the job so there is a strong chance of going perm if that is the intention. On the flip side, this can also be an opportunity to try before you buy. Temp to perm opportunities give you a chance to test out the job, company, and people to ensure the job and company are a match.
5. Build your network and personal brand: Temping at various companies or even just one can further help build your network. Demonstrating your skills through temporary jobs can provide an opportunity to expand your network, you never know who you will meet. In addition, a temp assignment could provide you with a new reference of someone who can speak highly of you and your job performance.
6. Make money: Temporary work offers an opportunity to make money whether it’s additional income to fuel a passion project or a way to bridge the gap between jobs. Temping can be quite lucrative, especially if the position calls for overtime hours (working more than 40 hours per week) where you can make time and a half on an hourly rate basis.

The Point: Now more than ever is a great time to consider hiring temp workers in order to get the work that you need done with minimal commitment. For job-seeking candidates who are not working it’s also a great way to jump back into work and provide some sense of belonging during this unsettling time. To learn more, reach out to Managing Director and Head of our Corporate Services division, Erica White at [email protected].