Is HR Contract Work in Your Future

Businesses today are rapidly moving away from staffing their human resource departments solely with permanent employees in favor of hiring temporary employees to fill openings at all levels.

The result: Dramatic growth in the number of opportunities available to HR professionals who want the flexibility, advancement and variety available from a career as a contract employee. But how do you know if contract or temp work is for you?

HR encompasses so many different functional areas—such as recruitment, compensation and benefits, employee relations, training, administration and organizational development—that there is no one specific skill set required to guarantee success.

What is necessary to be a successful contractor is flexibility, not to mention a high tolerance for change. Contract employees often engage and disengage from companies quickly. They’re brought in and are expected to be productive quickly and adapt to their environment, which requires a high level of self-confidence and resiliency. Other skills that are valuable include strong analytical and assessment abilities and above-average written and oral communications skills.

SOURCE: Romac Human Resources, A business of Romac International, Inc., Tampa, Florida, October 5, 1999.