How to hire a communications contractor

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Have you ever had to hire a communications contractor? How did it work out for you? If you had any problems, here are three suggestions for how to make your next hire more effective…

I was having breakfast with some colleagues who work in communications yesterday. One of them remarked that companies are going through a new phase right now. “Instead of using contractors,” he said, “they’re hiring more employees.”

This apparent trend hasn’t affected my business but, when I thought about it, I realized that a number of my contractor friends have recently taken jobs. Whether this is the new fashion or simply an interesting anomaly, I don’t know.

But I do recognize that many companies do a lousy job of hiring contractors. So, if you work for an operation that wants to use contractors, here’s how to find the best ones:

  1. Check references. This sounds shockingly simple — like HR 101 — but you’d be appalled by the number of companies that fail to take this most basic step. Ask what this contractor was like to work with. Did he or she meet the agreed-upon deadlines? How did they handle difficult situations? Did they correct any mistakes they’d made. Would the reference hire them again? (I love this last question. It will tell you just about everything you need to know. Remember, people may be reluctant to say “negative” things about former employees or contractors for fear of being sued. But they’ll usually be honest with this last question.)
  2. Be very specific and detailed about what you want done. If you want your website rebuilt, for example, have some examples of websites you really like. Stephen Covey calls this “beginning with the end in mind,” but it’s also more than that. Providing real-life examples is always the most efficient way to communicate with contractors. As well, have a provisional budget before you start collecting quotes. It may be too low but you’ll learn that quickly enough and it at least gives you a good starting point. Have your deadlines nailed down before you begin. You don’t want to waste your time interviewing someone who isn’t going to be available when you need them.
  3. Get someone who fits with your company’s values. This is the trickiest step but arguably the most important. Companies operate in different ways, particularly when it comes to communications. If you need lawyers to review all your documents before they become public, don’t hire someone who hates lawyers. If your CEO wants to rewrite everything, don’t hire someone who resents being rewritten. If your company is deeply reluctant to share information don’t hire someone who believes that being reasonably frank is the ticket to success. Yes, you may want to take your company in a different direction but if the contractor is chalk to the corporate cheese, then no one will be happy.

Hiring a contractor might be the best decision your company ever made, or one of the worst. Increase your chances of success by following the three rules, above.

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