Contract-to-hire
See how they fit before you commit.
The person joins on a contract, usually three to six months, and works in your team like anyone else. When it is working, you make them permanent. Most of the time, you do.
Contract-to-hire in three figures
- 3 to 6months
- the usual contract period before the permanent decision
- 90days
- of evidence before you commit: attendance, fit and output, not a resume and two interviews
- 0cost
- to replace someone if the fit turns out to be wrong
What it is
A real trial period on the job, then the permanent decision.
A resume and two interviews tell you whether someone can do the job on paper. Ninety days on the floor tell you whether they turn up, get on with the crew and handle the Tuesday nobody planned for.
Contract-to-hire buys you that evidence. The person is employed by us for an agreed period, works on your site as part of the team, and converts to your payroll when you decide. The conversion terms are agreed in writing before they start, so nothing is negotiated under pressure later.
Best for
- Roles where fit matters more than the resume
- The first hire into a new team or a new site
- A permanent requisition that is not approved yet
- Someone changing industry who cannot show a like for like history
- Roles you have hired for twice already and want to get right
When it is not the answer
If the person has to be your employee from day one, for a clearance, a title or an internal rule, go straight to a direct hire and we will run the search.
Direct hireHow it works
How contract-to-hire works.
From the first call to the first day. No forms to download, no portal to log into, and a person on the other end of every step.
- 01
Agree the role and the period
The job, the length of the contract, and the conversion terms. All of it in writing before anyone starts.
- 02
They start as a contractor
On our payroll, on your site, in your team. Onboard them on day one exactly as you would a permanent hire.
- 03
You see the actual work
Not a probation on paper. Real shifts, real deadlines, real colleagues. We check in with both sides along the way.
- 04
You convert them
Say the word and they move to your payroll on the agreed terms. If it is not working, the contract simply ends.
Which one
Contract-to-hire, or direct hire?
Both end in a permanent employee. The difference is when you decide and what you are deciding on.
- Choose contract-to-hire when
- fit and reliability matter as much as skill, the work can be learned on the job, or the headcount is not signed off yet.
- Choose direct hire when
- the role is senior or scarce, the person will not leave a permanent job for a contract, or the search needs to be confidential.
- Not sure
- Tell us the role and we will say which one we would use, including when the smaller arrangement is the right one.
What is included
Every placement, the same standard.
- Employed and paid by us for the contract period
- Conversion terms agreed in writing before day one
- Onboarding, payroll and compliance handled
- Check ins with you and with the person through the period
- A clean end if you decide not to convert
- No cost replacement if the fit is wrong
Where we use it most
Common in these industries, though we run contract-to-hire across all eighteen we serve.
All eighteen industriesCompare
Not sure which one fits?
The five arrangements differ in how long the person stays and who employs them. We will tell you honestly which one suits the work, even when it is the smaller one.
- Temporary staffing
People for a day, a week or a season, without adding headcount.
- Contract staffing
Skilled and technical specialists for exactly as long as the work lasts.
- Contract-to-hire
A real trial period on the job, then the permanent decision.
You are here - Direct hire
A permanent hire, sourced and shortlisted by a recruiter who knows the role.
- Project and team staffing
A whole team across roles, assembled around one piece of work.
Questions
Before you call.
Three to six months is usual. It should be long enough to see a full cycle of the work and short enough that a good person is not left waiting for a decision.
Resources
Worth reading before you hire.
Want to see them work first?
Tell us the role and how long you would want before deciding. We will set out the terms in writing before anyone starts.