4 Benefits to Hiring Contract Developers
By Laura Birch
Hiring a contract worker or looking for a full-time employee to fill a position, or even an entire team, is a perpetual dilemma for modern firms across industries. The need to stay agile and be able to access labour on demand is a major perk, but knowing that you have access to a full-time, in-house team can provide a lot of peace of mind.
More and more, contract software developers are becoming integral parts across industries and are relied upon to provide expertise, save on labour costs and make last-minute additions to teams. With that as our backdrop, below are 4 benefits to hiring contract developers.
Fewer training requirements
A seasoned software developer who has worked on a number of software development projects is already aware of the intricacies of software development. Even if you locate a software developer with some expertise, a substantial amount of time will normally be spent learning about the latest Apple and Google technologies or getting brought up to speed on the best methods to navigate your company's process. Meanwhile, a qualified contractor will be able to contribute on their first day, saving you time and money.
In addition to any money spent on providing technical skills to full-time workers, you also need to factor in the drop in productivity that typically comes along with bringing on a new team member. Other, more established developers in your organization will undoubtedly be tasked with providing assistance and showing new hires the ropes. They may have to frequently stop what they're doing to answer questions and perhaps correct work and mistakes. This drop in productivity can be quite expensive, especially during peak periods.
More cost-effective
Contractors, and especially if you are working with a contracting firm, are responsible for their payroll taxes, benefits, and insurance. They also handle their own IT requirements, have their own Quality Assurance and screening techniques, and employ their own servers, network, back end and front end tech, and software.
This can dramatically lower your company's expenses and allow you to reallocate funds to another area while still satisfying your developer's requirements. A full-time employee, on the other hand, might be a significant drain on your company's resources, especially as they are onboarded and pass through the inevitable growing pains associated with working for a new company.
You can also scale their work up or down as you need it. If you hire a full-time employee and your business ends up taking a hit, or a particular project must be put on hold for a combination of internal and external reasons, you can always reduce the hours of your contract hire. Contract developers know up front that they are not going to be full-time employees and so are better able to adapt to changing demands and industry realities.
Contractors Are Often High-Quality
Because the IT market is so competitive, it is frequently a candidates market, depending on the sector. What often ends up happening, therefore, is that the best development contractors are frequently headhunted rather than waste their time trying to interview for their next position. If you engage a contractor or consultant, you will get a trained individual who is in high demand and has the skills you need to get the task done. Another factor to consider is that the contractor tech market is significantly more saturated, making it easier to find the ideal individual in a shorter period of time.
It is also a very international market, which means you aren't tied to any particular geographical area. This lets you expand your search while also enjoying cost savings if you decide to hire a contractor from overseas. There are plenty of highly trained, competent developers who speak English but who demand far less than a domestic worker with the same skills, experience and qualifications. Luckily, there are now many platforms providing the sharpest IT experts with just the right skill-set you might need, you can check out Right People Group for contract developers available for projects.
Great Temporary Problem Solvers
If you are unsure if you will need a developer in the future or are concerned about the economy, a contractor may be the best option. Because the contractor will come in on a project-by-project basis or on a limited-term contract, your company will not have to worry about long-term employment implications. It also makes it easier to terminate a relationship if the developer isn't a good fit for any reason or if you are just looking for someone to fill a role temporarily that you would ideally like to find someone to come in for long term.
You may, however, find that a temporary hire in the form of a contract software developer turns into a full-time position. Hiring people this way can actually be a good way to save money on HR and the hiring process because you can bring someone on short-term who does not require the same kind of training and onboarding that a full-time hire would. If they work out and you like them enough to make them a full-time part of your staff, the transition can be much quicker, easier and cheaper. Be aware of what to look out for when hiring a contract developer, however.
This is undoubtedly one of the most appealing aspects of hiring a contract developer. Contractors enable you to respond to market needs and demands as they occur; they are used to working in a variety of environments and are adaptable to changing conditions, with a wide range of personalities, and for variable durations of time. Many companies love working with contractors because you are able to determine whether you have a long-term need for employment in a given job without having to make any big capital or time commitments up front.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking to save on labour costs, are interested in a shorter recruiting and hiring process, are attempting to take advantage of alternative paths to full-time employment through a trial period, or are simply looking for increased flexibility and agility, contract software developers are often the solution. You can either look for freelance developers or work with a contracting agency that specializes in finding and providing specialized development skills for companies. Keep in mind the above advantages of working with contract developers, they can make or break the success of a project.
About the company
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Our team are a company that helps our customers further their digital footprint by providing digital marketing on a monthly basis.
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