Hiring a contract, interim or temporary communications and marketing professional is often a great challenge, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), who do not have access to internal talent acquisition departments dedicated to finding the right candidate. Training a new permanent member of staff may not be an option for a team that is already understaffed, struggling with an increased workload, or in a need of assistance for a specific project.

Whether you are looking for maternity cover, long-term sick cover or just extra support while recruiting for a permanent employee – you’ll need flexible candidates, who are not only available immediately, but able to hit the ground running too.

The recruitment process for contract or interim hires is significantly faster than for permanent roles. At VMA GROUP, depending on availability, the process can be completed in just 48 hours. 

Availability

Candidates for contract and interim roles need to be available within days and weeks – the sooner the better. A long notice period will usually disqualify candidates who are not able to start within a required short period of time. 

The initial conversation with an interim or contractor is also a good time to ascertain their knowledge and preferred way of working in relation to IR35 legislation. 

Why interim or fixed-term contracts?

It is important to understand why a candidate is opting for a short-term contract, rather than a permanent role, in order to establish whether they are a good fit for the company. This allows you to gain an insight into their interest in the company, as well as their commitment to the job. Are they trying to gain more experience by working for numerous companies in a relatively short time? Are they keen to develop their consulting experience or do they plan to go travelling at a later date? 

Flexibility

Interim, contract and temporary roles, especially within communications and marketing, are fast-paced and demand candidates to quickly adapt to changing circumstances. 

Motivations

To get to know the candidate and assess whether they may be suitable for the role, you should ask them about their career aspirations and motivations. If they enjoy and are often seeking new challenges, they may be the right fit. However, if they prefer routine and stability, perhaps the fixed-term contract role is not really for them. 

Frustrations

To speed up the process, you want to make sure that you and the candidate are on the same page when it comes to the working environment. Are they irritated by open office spaces? Do they prefer working from home? What about staying calm in hectic conditions? It can help you to understand how they would react to the day-to-day realities of working in your company. 

If you are strapped for time but want to ensure a smooth transition, VMAGROUP can manage the entire onboarding process, including compliance and regulatory checks, referencing, contract management, and financial agreements. 

Whether you are looking for interim, contract or temporary staff, our experienced interim team will ensure it’s a seamless process from beginning to end. If you would like to discuss your interim hiring requirements, get in touch with our team today.

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VMA GROUP is a leading international interim, contract, temporary and permanent recruitment and executive search specialist. We are specifically focused on providing support to the communications, digital and marketing communities.

Our specialist practice areas cover: communications, corporate communications, internal communications, change communications, PR, media relations, financial communications, CSR, public affairs, investor relations, marketing, digital marketing and agency services.

We have a reputation for providing expert consultancy services and advice, supported by in-depth knowledge of the professions we recruit for. Our thought leadership and benchmarking studies have become go-to resources for the communications and marketing industry, supporting planning and decision-making for organisations of all shapes and sizes.

In the UK, VMA GROUP has offices in London and Manchester and in Europe, VMA GROUP has offices in Amsterdam and Brussels, but we work with organisations and individuals on a global basis.

VMA GROUP is committed to equal opportunities and is a Diversity Pledged Recruiter.