This is a pocket-sized guide for aspiring contractor recruitment manager who wants to one-up their contractor management game. There are three key elements that every superstar recruiter shares. And we are to format them into tips to share with you in this article.
If you’re a recruiter specialising in contract work, effectively managing all of the contractors on your books can sometimes prove difficult. The same applies if you offer the service as a sideline to recruiting for permanent roles. Particularly when those contractors each have different niches and working requirements.
Effective contractor management is key to keeping those contractors with you. It also prevents them from going to the competitor agency. The trick is to establish a strong bond with each individual from the get-go. This will in turn set a precedent and foster quality, professional relationships.
3 Tips to Becoming a Great Contractor Manager
Here are three top tips you might find useful in order to become a better contractor recruitment manager:
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Prioritise relationship building
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Maintain consistent communication
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Automate when possible
1. Build a Relationship with the Contractors
Just like permanent staff, contractors are more likely to be loyal to a company and produce quality work when they feel valued. Get to know them personally, and show genuine interest in their lives beyond their jobs. It demonstrates that you view your relationship as more than merely transactional. Your being attentive and caring has the power of encouraging them to stay with you.
The nature of contract work can at times be quite isolating. Therefore making an effort to treat contracted workers as team members will help them feel like they’re part of the bigger picture. Keep them in the loop with project and company updates. Include them in company groups on social media, and invite them along to events and annual work parties.
However, not everyone is particularly outgoing or likes being part of the gathering. This is why it’s important you put time and effort into getting to know your freelance partner. If they’re more on the introverted side, pushing the agenda of team outings is likely to backfire. This may push them to avoid you moving forward. In other words, a relationship needs to be born organically and not simulated. You need to care about them as a person, understand their boundaries and tailor your interactions based on their preferences.
And, most importantly, don’t forget to thank them for their work when contracts are completed.
2. Consistent Communication is Key
Do not let communication fall by the wayside when a contractor begins working on an assignment. Regularly touch base will to ensure you and the contractor are both up-to-date with any changes in priorities or deadlines during the lifespan of the project. This is also a great opportunity to give your contractor feedback on how they’re getting on.
Additionally, employ Radical Candor and give them a chance to bring up any issues or queries they have. This way you can help to address them before they escalate into bigger problems. Depending on the length of the contract, you might want to schedule a monthly phone or video call. However, create an outlet they can use to reach you in between of those too.
This may sound challenging, especially if you work with multiple contractors. It’s very easy to get lost among contacts. Staying organised in tracking the placement status of each contractor can also get confusing. However, a disastrous situation occurs not when you accidentally book a meeting with a contractor that’s not been expecting to hear from you. It strikes when you neglect the one that’s been waiting for you to reach out.
There’s a secret trick our Recruitment software has for a superstar recruitment manager in making. We have an integrated email system where you can filter your contacts based on their placement status. You can also send them an email right away, without logging out of the system.
3. Automate for Their Convenience
If you can provide contractors with something that can save them time and effort, they’ll be all for it. And, at Timesheet Portal, we give you such power.
Our flexible online timesheet software allows you to relieve the burden of invoicing and billing from contractors. You will also make it easier for your back office staff by automating the process. For this purpose, we have a contractor self-billing feature in Timesheet Portal. It gives you the ability to automatically generate self-billing invoices for all of your contractors. They are then sent to your own agency for payment. Invoices reach companies in the name of the contractor and with their own company details.
Here are some of the features we offer for recruitment managers:
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Contractors can edit their company and bank details on invoices;
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Self-billing invoices are automatically created after timesheet/expenses approval;
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Contractor rechargeable expenses can be included in invoices;
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Invoices are linked with timesheets to avoid duplicate invoicing;
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Invoices can be exported to Sage, Xero and Quickbooks as supplier invoices;
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Timesheet Portal includes AWR and holiday accrual, intermediaries reporting, document storage and signing, reporting and forecasting, and standard client invoicing.
Summary
You must have heard the quote ‘Simplicity is the trademark of genius’. Becoming a better recruitment manager heavily relies on these words of wisdom. While it’s true that you need a specific skill set to excel in the world of recruitment, none of them matters unless you build relationships.
The key is to genuinely root for your contractor. When you care for them personally, the rest will come naturally. Think about it. Do you want to introduce someone you barely know to people you trust? Do you want to stay in touch with them? Would you go the extra mile to make their lives easier? Sure, some of us may say yes. But not everyone has a heart of gold when it comes to strangers.
Now think how willing would you be to do these things for a friend, whose success matters to you. Here’s your answer to what makes a superstar recruiter.
Ready to become a better version of yourself? Give us a shout, we are here to help.
