The Contractor Rules of Engagement

You've just been offered an assignment with the organization of your dreams and you will do everything you can to make sure you either a) extend your assignment or b) become a full time employee. Here are a few guidelines that should help.

Contractor - Recruiter relationship

This may be the most important relationship to foster. The recruiter (account manager) is your employer. They are not your agent. It is important that you understand this poignant fact. The recruiter actually selected you to represent their company but, with that being said, this is indeed a two way relationship and a recruiter must act as a good hiring manager. Always maintain open lines of communication with your recruiter and be honest with regards to your work, performance and the relationship you have with the client. Be sure that you understand all of your contractual obligations and, most importantly, keep accurate records. This may sound mundane but you will need to store your paperwork in a place that you can remember.

Client - Contractor relationship

This is sticky. Some clients are very clear in stating that you are indeed a contractor and will never be seen as an employee. Some others will treat you as an employee demanding that your agency provide the same benefits of PTO and health (or at least as close) to those of their own employees. Neither is the best situtation for a contractor. A fair balance is required and well defined lines of communication must be established and maintained. The client should only discuss work deliverables, projects and resources with the Contractor. Everything else should go through the account manager/agency. Issues regarding PTO, compensation, raises and even conversions to full time employment must never be discussed directly between Client and Contractor. They must always be brokered by the account manager.

 

Attendance

It's as simple as being on time. If you are going to be late or need time-off then you must speak to your account manager first.

 

Performance

This is really up to you, the contractor. Always aim to go above and beyond. Your value as a contractor increases significantly if you are able to hit the ground running and learn what needs to be done as quickly as possible. The less hand-holding then the more valuable you will be.

Conversion

If all has been going smoothly and the correct channels of communication have been followed, then this is a very simple process. By now the contractor should have established a solid relationship with their account manager and have complete faith in the fact the best will be done. This point is no different from going through a permanent hire interview process and an offer being tended. Also, this is neither the time nor place for the hiring manager to step in and begin negotiating salary or start date directly with the contractor. Again, the account manager or agency must broker this offer. Time and time again, I have seen conversion fall apart because neither party understands fully what the other wants.

Sometimes, there is harm in asking

A couple generations ago employees and candidates thought twice before asking. The mindset of "There is no harm in asking" is prevalent amongst the workforce and it may have reached a point of almost recklessness. Communication is an essential job requirement and today's employers are less flexible in that regard. Knowing how and when to ask makes all the difference.

There are two critical times when asking could hinder or progress your career: negotiating terms for an offer or asking for a promotion/ raise. Let's look at what to do when negotiating for an offer.

When does the negotiation begin? It's, actually, at the moment you submit your application or resume and if you are working with your recruiter it's at the moment you begin the process. With or without a recruiter, the most important aspect of the negotiation is the truth. You must always negotiate from a position of fact and never be dishonest or speculate. Do not jundize the negotiation. Preparation is key and here are five things you must know prior.

Why are looking for new job? Ask yourself a simple question,"In your current role do you see yourself achieving the professional, development and monetary goals that you are seeking within the next two years?" if yes then stay put, if no, then seek a better opportunity. This opportunity could still be at you current organization.

Your base salary. What you earn before bonus and commission.

The three numbers. If they offer a cent less than a certain number you will not regret walking away from the opportunity. That number or less where you will need a day or two to consider. That number which will make you drop everything and start tomorrow.

Where you are interviewing and at what stage. If you have other offers on the table don't beat around the bush. The only reason you should ever hold off accepting an offer within your salary expectations it is because it is not the opportunity you are looking for. Do NOT accept offer letters to weigh out your options. You will end up choosing an opportunity for the wrong reasons.

To work or not work with a recruiter. There are advantages to engaging a recruiter's expertise and service. First you don't actually negotiate with you're future employer and it separates what could be an uncomfortable experience from the relationship you might have with a future employer. Most importantly a recruiter has a wealth of knowledge regarding the process, salaries, your competition and offer negotiations as a whole. The best recruiters may have done this successfully hundreds of times and you may have only negotiated a handful at most.

This job is not what I signed up for!

"The recruiter prevaricated about the real working environment at this place. Had I known I would never taken the job."

Don't always blame the recruiter but learn to ask the right questions. Not every job is a great match and, unfortunately, many hiring managers will say whatever they need to in order to bring on the best and the brightest. As a recruiter I have been down that road an, believe me, it's not a happy for any party involved.

There is a story of a company that years ago was an incredible place to work. Great people, fantastic leadership and a wonderfully collegiate environment. However, the recession hit, finances were brutalized and the tension exploded. A rapid series of lay-offs brought the company down to a skeleton crew, staff was overworked, the quality of work dropped significantly and there was an overall sense of paranoia coming from the leadership. As we all know any sense of negativity coming from the top is intensely magnified by the time it reaches those on the "work-floor". In short this company was a nightmare to work in.

When I was first introduced to this organization, it was a great place to work. At least that's what it appeared to be. On my part, this experience has been a lesson learned and I now know the right questions to ask and what signs to look out for. As with any once happy and proud family, this company was no different. They always presented a happy and smiling front and there was absolutely no-one in the organization who would say anything negative.

I placed five people in rapid succession but I noticed things were a little out of wack after the second placement.

The lesson learned? Even as Recruiter I have to ask the tough questions. How is business? What does your turnover look like? What do you offer a potential employee?  What impact do you expect the employee to have in this role? How is adding this employee going to make life easier for you and your team? No work place is perfect and if it seems that way then do some investigating. If an agency ever says that they have a great work/life balance.....believe that to be a lie because for an agency, that just does not make good business sense. Look into the companies financials and check out the social commentary. You'll be surprised what you can learn.

If your dream turns out be a nightmare do not hesitate to look into other options. Call your recruiter.

Preparing for the Interview

You have just been notified that you are scheduled to meet with the hiring manager for a face to face interview.  Understand now that your interview has just begun.

Preparing yourself for this moment is as important as what you say and do during the meeting with the hiring manager. Being prepared means that you will be composed and informed thereby presenting yourself in the best light. Here are a couple of pointers.

1.       Understand the company. Know what it does and produces. Know where its offices are located, who makes up the leadership and what are their most recent news making events.

2.       Understand who will be speaking with. Be sure to ask who will be meeting with and in what format. Find out if it will be a series of one-one interviews, will it be a panel interview and how long.

3.       Prepare your story and stop seeing this as an interview but more so a conversation. A conversation you will be having with people who are also participating.

4.       Be prepared to answer any questions related to your resume and the job description.

5.       Write down your answers on paper and review them. Speak them allowed.

6.       Gather questions to ask during the interview.

7.       If you are interested in the position thank them for their time and let them know you are excited about the opportunity.

8.       Get business cards and send your thank you letter within 24 hours.

These pointers are great to adhere to but they will amount to nothing if you are not dressed appropriately.  Regardless of the standard dress code always dress professionally. Keep it simple, keep it sharp.

Make it simple....it's been done before

It's a basic thing

The digital world is fascinating and all too often we get lost in all the gimmicks, gadgets and inventions. We tend to forget that at the end of the day, with all the technology at hand, it is the user who determines what is successful and what is not.

How does that translate into the world of talent, manager and hiring? For talent, being able to convey the usefulness of a technology, strategy or algorithm in the manner a user will understand is very important. The hiring manager is looking for someone who can apply progressive technical knowledge in real world scenarios.  Does your work help the business grow? Does your work improve the overall experience of the user? Does your work make life easier? Are you able to explain, in simple terms, the purpose of your work? Such a talent will stand out.

On the flipside, some of the best talent wish to work under leadership which knows how to apply progressive technologies and see that they are fully developed and employed. There is nothing more frustrating than working on project after project and never see it being used in the real world. Hiring managers must be able to show that their teams and department have existing products which have been successful.

If you are working with a recruiter...be up front about salary expecations and trust that they are the expert

The job market is turning around with more opportunities for specialized skill sets. However, the expectations and requirements are becoming much more stringent. When working with a recruiter it is essential that you develop a strong understanding and trust. Understand that the recruiter will be the expert on salary and, also, the effect of asking too much at the wrong time.

What to do if you are suddenly laid off while interviewing for new position?

First, call your recruiter and let them know. Let them know everything from the reason for lay-off, condition of your group, department, company, date of termination, severance and bonus. Recruiters can only be effective if they know what they are working with. If your bonus/severance is tied in to a committed end date 3 to 6 months from now, then this is information you must share with your recruiter. If you only reveal this information after you have accepted the offer from the client, it can only lead to an awkward process. No-one wants to start a job on a sour note. It will also put in to question your ability to see ahead and make sound strategic decisions.