Should You Outsource for Your IT Needs? on consultis.com

Should You Outsource for Your IT Needs?

What to consider when hiring contract IT pros.

Using IT contractors instead of hiring IT employees is a popular option in technology recruiting. Contract workers can work from your office or remotely (which expands the recruiting pool), and in some situations can be real money savers. However, it’s not always a simple decision.

3 pros and 3 cons of hiring IT contractors

The good

Money. You might have to pay them a little more, but in many cases, you won’t need provide benefits or pay Medicare or Social Security taxes on their behalf. In addition, if you don’t need full-time support, an IT contractor can provide flexible, on-demand services, which allows you to cut costs without sacrificing quality. Plus, if they work remotely, you’re saving on office space, electricity, and equipment.

They want to knock your socks off. Freelancers and contractors are micro-businesses, so just as you’ll do anything to impress your clients, they’re there to do the same for you. Their relationship with you is special: each job is a chance to land another, and any failure threatens both referrals, and re-hiring.

Risk reduction. Contractors don’t qualify as employees, which can not only save your company from the Affordable Care Act, it also means you’re not required to pay unemployment insurance or worker’s compensation benefits. On top of that, most of the time, contract labor doesn’t come out of your payroll budget. And if a contract hire doesn’t work out, you can simply end the agreement and find a better match.

The bad

It can be risky. Unlike full-time employees, contractors may not be solely dependent on you for their livelihood. Oftentimes, for example, a code writer might be juggling multiple projects with demanding deadlines – short turnaround times aren’t always possible.

Loyalty. Your full-time staff is your team. Their jobs live and die with the company. While a contractor may provide top-notch services, as outsiders, they may not bring the same level of commitment and potentially could accept another position with little to no notice.

Misclassification. This is where the law is trying to catch up with the changing scene of the American workplace. Unfortunately, ensuring a freelancer meets all the criteria to qualify as a contract worker isn’t always a simple process. In general, the IRS considers an employee a worker who “the purchaser of that worker’s service has the right to direct or control the worker, both as to the final results and as to the details of when, where, and how the work is done.”

How to hire IT contractors

Consultis has been working in technology recruitment since 1984, and we understand IT professionals. Our talent pool is thoroughly screened and vetted, and our Working Interview Program means you get the flexibility of a contract worker combined with the stability of a potential full-time hire. Contact us to learn more about our contract and other recruitment services and find the best match for your IT needs.