I am here to inform the job seekers a few key facts and pros of working a contract-to-hire position. I have worked with several candidates over the years and placed many into contract-to-hire (C2H) positions.
The first pro is the opportunity to learn an organization before you become a full time employee. You have the ability to get in, learn the processes, technology, and culture before you make a long term commitment to the organization. You are not vested at this point, and essentially free to leave at any point. The company hasn’t invested much on resources (training, credentials, and benefits) making it easier to sever ties. This is your time to make an evaluated decision to stay or leave.
Another pro is the ability to leverage your experience at salary negotiation time. By the time the company is ready to hire you in, you understand what is needed to be a successful employee, and should have demonstrated this in your work by now. This is what you can pull into your negotiation when a salary number is presented.
C2H is also a side door into an organization. Within the IT industry, it can be difficult to secure a direct hire role within a medium to large organization. The contract-to-hire route provides a side door past the talent acquisitions team, and the black hole of submitting your resume against a job posting on the company’s website. Working with a staffing organization eliminates a number of the steps within the hiring process. You also can have more transparency into the hiring process. A contract house is generally going to share more information about the team and the tendencies of the hiring manager than a corporate recruiter would.
If a company is broadcasting a C2H role to its supply base, they are going to take their time in the selection process to come up with the right candidate. They will vet the candidates and take on additional responsibility in the process. The intention is to always find the right candidate and to make a proper selection. In summation, a contract-to-hire opportunity is great for any candidate to learn an organization, gain great experience, and enter the company.