What to look for in a contractor

Tech and digital contractors are a flexible and cost-effective resource to support on a wide range of digital and technology projects, campaigns and implementations. 

Requiring very little onboarding, contractors can help your projects achieve their business objectives quickly, and can be used to support day-to-day tasks whilst the project team focuses on executing systems updates right through to full-scale transformations, roll-outs, and knowledge transfers. Contractors are becoming an increasingly attractive resource within the tech and digital sectors, with some notable tech giants leading the charge. Like many tech companies, Google relies heavily on contractor support for their major projects and, according to Forbes, they now even outnumber their full-time employees. This trend is likely to increase as, according to CIO, 20% of tech jobs are currently held by contractors but in the next 10 years this could reach 50%.

Engaging a contractor is a very different process to hiring a new employee and you should aim to structure your selection process according to the unique needs of your project to ensure you get the right talent and requisite skills in place for success.

How to shape your contractor selection process

Typically, organisations engage contractors to fill inhouse skills gaps, so a thorough analysis of the skills and resources you need for a project should give you a clear indication of the kinds of technical knowledge and experience you need.

Having a clear idea of your resourcing requirements is a strong starting point when shaping your contractor selection process, but it’s also a good idea to factor in the particulars of your project’s logistical requirements. Some useful questions to ask yourself to establish the parameters of your contractor engagement for this project include:

- What are the deliverables for the project?

- What timescale are you working to?

- Do you require a strategic contractor? Or someone who can focus on delivery?

- What particular skills are essential to completing the project successfully?

- Does the project require particular sector experience?

- Do you have an office space for the contractor? Will they work remotely, or both?

- Is this full-time or part-time?

- Do you have a fixed budget?

Once you have established your skills requirements and understand the logistical necessities of your project you can start to assess your contractor candidates. If you engaged a recruiter like Energize to assist you in sourcing contractors assessed on their ability to deliver projects, you will be able to reach this stage much more quickly.

How to select a contractor for a project

Most tech and digital contractors will be familiar with understanding or adapting to the needs and objectives of a project and delivering results quickly thereafter. However, to ensure this is the case it is worthwhile working with a staffing and recruitment partner, like Energize, who have an established network of tried and tested contract professionals.

When assessing contractor candidates, not only will you be looking to solve a skills problem fast, but you will want to make sure you hire the best individual for your team that will easily facilitate collaboration and productivity.

When selecting a contractor for your project, some specific skills and competencies to look out for include:

- Industry or project execution expertise

- Technical ability

- Commercial acumen

- Flexibility and adaptability

- Strong communication skills

- Leadership skills

- Cultural fit
A contractor’s experience should also include a proven track record of achieving positive, tangible results on previous projects. Leadership skills are also a desirable trait in a contractor as project implementation is variable by nature and they should be able to adapt and be flexible to any changes that may arise.

When engaging contractors, bear in mind that there will be some compliance and regulatory requirements to address depending on your geographic location. From IR35 compliance in the UK, to AÜG Labour Leasing in Germany, to W2 employees in the US, Energize can help you accommodate any social security, taxation, expenses, insurance, and statutory entitlements needed and answer any questions or concerns you may have before hiring. If you have any questions or concerns over these compliance needs, Energize can help you accommodate any social security, taxation, expenses, insurance, and statutory entitlements needed.

Find the right Tech and Digital contractors with Energize

With a global network of more than one million candidates cultivated over 14 years of recruitment expertise, Energize empowers organisations as you access high-value local talent supported by specialist Consultants experienced in scaling businesses with the experts they need.

Providing you with the best-possible recruitment experience is what drives us. We pioneered services standardisation within the recruitment industry via our implementation of Net Promoter Score®, and through our continual pursuit of customer excellence, customers choose Energize time and again, forming lasting relationships and enjoying a more effective hiring process.

The Energize Group offers niche, premium staffing solutions on both a permanent and freelance basis to customers in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, and the United States of America.