Hiring someone for a temporary position has many benefits for your company. It allows you to save money on taxes & benefits for a position that you might only need part of the year. More importantly It gives you the opportunity to evaluate someone in the position before committing to the hire.
Whatever your reasons, hiring a temporary employee might be a great decision for your business, but how do you do it? Here are steps you can take to find the perfect temp hire (and three that you should avoid).
Tips to Fill a Temporary Position
Write a clear and detailed job description
When you decide that your company needs extra help, make sure that you take the time to determine exactly what help you need. You should create a profile of your ideal candidate and hire with these needs in mind.
Write a job description for the temporary position that’s as detailed as one that you’d create for a permanent hire. This can help avoid confusion among staff members as to why the temporary hire is there and what they are there to do. It can help focus their efforts and ensure that the work you need completed is getting done effectively.
An experienced recruiting agency like Atlantic Group can help you write a solid job description and assist you in determining what skills are vital for the temporary role.
Interview and vet your applicants
Some companies fall into the trap of thinking that because someone will only be there for a brief period, they don’t need to run the same kind of checks they would on a permanent employee. This could lead to major issues in the future.
Always perform background and reference checks on temporary hires so you know the person you hire is someone you can trust in the position. Working with a recruitment agency can ensure you are getting a trustworthy, highly skilled individual.
Provide the right amount of training
While it’s true that your temporary hire will not likely need as much training as a permanent hire, failing to train a temp worker can lead to wasted time and money. Providing in depth training on how to use equipment, company software and various job tasks is important for your temp hire’s first week. Setting the groundwork for expectations and goals will ensure your temp hire is setup for success.
Take into consideration some skill sets you may be able to train or work with your contractor on. Unemployment is at all-time lows you may not check be able to check all boxes of requirements you normally would.
3 Things to Avoid when Hiring a Temp Position
Don’t treat them differently
Treat your temporary workers as part of your team. This helps motivate them and encourages them to do their best work regardless of their duration of stay.
Don’t provide vague information about how long they’ll be there
Your temporary hires understand that this is a temporary assignment. Being upfront about how long the role or project will last is crucial to help manage expectations with your temporary hires.
Don’t lower your standards
Temporary workers can bring as many (and sometimes more!) skills to the table as your permanent staff. You should never assume that because the position isn’t permanent that you can’t find a great person for the job. Working with a temporary staffing recruiting agency can help find the best talent for your team.
Need Help Finding the Right People for Your Temporary Positions?
The Atlantic Group can help you find the right people because we approach recruitment thoughtfully to enable client success. Our goal is to bring talented people to your team so you can focus on your business instead of the hiring process.
If you have a temporary position and want to find the right candidate for the job, get in touch with our team today.