Tips about hiring Contractors

Why should I hire a contractor?
There are plenty of reasons why companies hire contractors. They can help managers get projects done quickly, without incurring any overhead. Moreover, contractors provide flexibility- as company goals change and new projects arise, managers can bring in contractors with the specific skills needed to get the job done.

For established firms, independent professionals provide the cutting-edge skills and fresh perspectives that are essential to nurturing innovation. For smaller businesses, freelance talent makes it possible to launch new initiatives without diverting scarce resources from core tasks. For entrepreneurs and startups, independent professionals offer the expertise needed to grow quickly.

I need to hire a contractor. How do I evaluate the candidates' skills?
When you hire a contractor, you're hiring a specialist with unique skills and expertise. Chances are, that's why you need a contractor in the first place- you've got a problem you can't solve on your own.

The first step is to figure out what skills and expertise your project will demand. Say, for example, you're an art director who needs to hire a Java programmer, and you need more information about what to look for in a techie. If you work in a large company, ask colleagues with relevant experience for technical insight. If you're with a small firm, be resourceful- use your network to find someone who can advise you.

Make sure you understand your requirements. What role will the contractor play in the project? What isn't getting done that needs to be done? What's the deadline? How much interaction will the contractor have with other people? How much guidance, if any, will the contractor receive? How much technical expertise is required?

After you've developed a thorough understanding of your project, create a detailed job description that specifically addresses your requirements. Review resumes carefully, looking for evidence of all the experience you need- professional, managerial, and technical. As you begin the interview process, think back to the questions you asked yourself when preparing the job description. Ask your candidates to explain how they arrived at solutions in similar situations. Listen for evidence of professionalism as well as technical prowess. The best candidates will demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, good communication skills, integrity, and a strong motivation to learn.

So what questions should I ask when I interview a contractor?
Interviewing a contractor for a project position is different from interviewing a candidate for a permanent job. It's not as important for contractors to fit in with your company culture. You need someone who's ready to go, right from the start. As you formulate your project needs, consider all the factors that will contribute to success. What role will the contractor play in that process? List all the skills the ideal candidate will have - professional, technical, and managerial.

Listen for evidence of resourcefulness, problem-solving ability, and calm under pressure. Pay attention for clues that demonstrate an understanding of your specific project requirements. Ask for concrete examples of past performance.

These questions address key topics to cover as you conduct your interview:

• What makes you ideal for this position?
• Is the time allotted for this project reasonable?
• When have you worked on a similar schedule or deadline?
• Have you ever been in a situation where a client's requirements changed before the project was complete? How did you adapt to meet the new goals?
• What's the most difficult thing about this project? Why?
• When have you encountered this type of challenge in the past? How was it resolved?
• What is the least interesting thing about the project? Why?
• Why will you do it anyway?
• Have you ever had someone question the viability of your solution to a project problem? What was the issue? How was it resolved?
• Give me an example of a mistake you made while working on a previous project. What happened? How was the error resolved?

When contractors are not the solution
Despite many advantages, contractors aren't always perfect. For one thing, because they don't have a long-term relationship with your company, they can't always see the forest for the trees- they may not see how their specific project fits into your company's long-term strategy. That lack of the long view can make them less effective than full-timers who have a better sense of their work's overall context. You can offset this by pairing contractors with full-time employees, who can give them that much-needed perspective.

Using a contractor can also mean losing valuable knowledge. If they're functioning properly, organizations learn from experience. But when a given project is over, your contractor can take much of that experience away with them- and it won't be added to your company's knowledge base. That's why it's important to assign a full-time employee, who's been specifically asked to distil and communicate the experience to others, to manage every project. That way, each project's lessons can be added to your company's long-term knowledge base.