As a specialist recruiter in the marketing/comms, digital and creative sector, we are seeing a marked increase in the demand for permanent talent, which is significantly outstripping supply. 

The natural result of this is that teams are working at maximum capacity, under increasing pressure to deliver against plans, and with talent availability looking set to remain low, many clients are considering freelance / temporary workers as an interim solution. 

One area where this has been particularly apparent is across digital skill sets over the first few months of the year, whether that’s for Agile Project Managers, UX/UI specialists, Developers or Digital Creatives. 

Sticking with digital skills as a case in point, the rise in demand for digital skill sets and the pace of change in the sector has seen many candidates move into freelance/contract positions and given the flexibility and variety this offers, most are reluctant to consider moving back into the world of permanent employment.  

The result? Whilst it may take longer than before to recruit a permanent hire given talent shortages, there is normally an excellent pool of interim talent to provide cover at short notice; this not only allows breathing space to ensure no panic permanent hires are made but also ensures projects are kept on track and standards are maintained, in some cases improved.

Benefits of temporary workers.

Flexibility

As mentioned above, it could be that a temporary contract allows you more flexibility whilst waiting to find the right permanent hire. Of course, it’s entirely possible that you don’t need certain skills year round; you may only need certain hard to come by specialist skills at busy times and during certain projects. 

When the need arises, being able to take advantage of a large network of freelance/temporary talent like myself, means you’ll be able to quickly access some of the best talent in the industry. Contract/interim staff allow you the flexibility to quickly respond to changing requirements, which can be a huge benefit, especially within the digital and creative sectors.

Reliability

Freelance/temporary staff are generally exceptionally reliable, meaning that you can be sure that the projects you’ve brought them into work on will have the required resource to make them a success. They rarely take sick days as they aren’t entitled to the same holiday/sick pay and other benefits enjoyed by permanent employees, plus they have their professional reputation as a contractor to build and maintain, meaning they can be relied upon when the pressure is on.

Fresh Thinking

Contractors and temporary workers tend to be incredibly passionate about their work. Their ability to select contracts means they are more often than not working on projects they’re personally interested in, which results in them tackling projects with real enthusiasm. In addition, the breadth and variety of projects they get exposed to in different environments mean that they can also bring new ideas, thinking and skills to projects which can add significant value.  

Why a recruiter can help.

First things first. We’re not suggesting the only way to source a good temporary worker is via a recruiter; a number of our clients have a pool of interim/ freelance talent that they work with directly. 

However, good people are often busy and booked on other projects, plus a lot of clients simply don’t have the capacity to be constantly engaging with their network of contacts. 

That’s where we come in; we spend each and every day building our network of skilled contractors so that we’re able to respond quickly when the need arises. This frequently means that we’re able to access hard to find talent and skill sets that our clients haven’t been able to identify. 

By building a relationship with your recruiter we’re able to understand skill sets that you could potentially need, anticipate demand and respond quickly to requirements, meaning your projects are kept on track and your milestones are hit. 

A good recruiter also knows the individual’s character and what type of work cultures they work best in, potentially saving you a lot of time and headaches.