Finding the right contractor to join your team can be tricky. There are lots to consider beyond their skills and experience, and it’s important you find someone who shares the right attitudes and values in order to truly contribute to your project.
We know how busy things get, and so when it comes to recruitment, this can take up a lot of our time. But when we rush recruitment, this is how we end up with the wrong people on the job, which can lead to challenges such as unexpected revisions, missing deadlines, and overspending on your budget.
If you’re struggling to find the right independent workers or third-party suppliers for your needs, then here are our top three ways to find and work with contractors more efficiently.
Widen your scope
If you’re dead set on finding someone local to you, who meets all your criteria then you’re doing yourself a disservice. If there’s one thing this post-covid era has taught us is that people are perfectly capable of doing their jobs remotely (for the most part), and this has opened organizations and suppliers up to a whole new world of opportunity and collaboration.
Whereas before you might never have dreamed of hiring someone in a different state or country to you, now this is considered the norm. And the benefit of this is that when you widen your scope, your chances of finding the perfect person for the job are much higher.
Stop seeing distance, location, and logistics as a barrier, because in our modern world remote working and collaboration is much easier than it used to be. We know that for many, collaborating in person is preferable, but it’s good to take a holistic view of the potential contractors you want to hire and go with the one that feels most aligned with what you want to achieve, regardless of where they are in the world.
Work with a recruiter
There are pros and cons to working with a recruiter, but the benefit of this is particularly appealing if you’re short on time. Recruiters have access to a whole network of independent workers and third-party suppliers that you otherwise would not, and so if you’re struggling to find someone in the field you’re searching for, a specialist recruiter should be able to help with this.
If your budget allows but your time does not, then recruitment is a good way to connect you to the right people, fast! This isn’t to say you need to use a recruiter every time, as there are fees involved, but if you’re looking for something particular, then having their expert knowledge onboard in the hiring process will help you sift out the people who aren’t quite right, and put you in touch with the most valuable connections.
And remember, any connection has the opportunity to flourish, so even if the people you meet aren’t the right fit for the thing you need right now, they could be for something else in the future, or they may know other people who they can connect you with.
Get recommendations and referrals
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know! When looking for a third-party supplier it’s always best to speak to people you know first to see if they have any recommendations. You’re likely to meet much more valuable connections, and as mentioned above, even if they’re not the right fit for the job, they may know someone who is.
Collaboration is all about networking and being open to talking to new connections because you never know how they might be an asset to your business. Take every opportunity to build relationships and you’ll notice just how many people are willing to help when you need it.
Referrals are good for all parties, as you can trust that you’re working with someone reliable,
and the contractor or supplier benefits by building their reputation through referrals and reviews. You can then do the same and pass on that person as a referral if you feel they did a good job. This transparency and desire to collaborate is what ultimately makes the working relationship a great one.
If you’re still struggling with hiring independent workers for your project or organisation, check out our article on the 6 do’s and don’ts when hiring a third-party supplier for more tips on making the right recruitment choice for your biz.
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