Over the last few months, we have experienced an increase in demand for interim HR resources. Skills in demand are varied but there is an increased demand for specialist skills in recruitment & resourcing, transformation & change, systems implementation and Payroll. One area that has always been challenging to hire in is Reward, and interim reward professionals are no exception.
We fully anticipate that the demand for HR interim resources will continue to increase as businesses get ready to respond to skills shortages and the potential changes Brexit could bring with it.
We have also seen a shift in demand from fixed-term contracts to day-rate interims. This is because clients want to access the services of professional interims giving them greater choice of candidates.
When recruiting for interim roles we always look for candidates who can hit the ground running so they will have a track record of doing similar roles and interim assignments, and in many cases, interim candidates will be over recruited for the role they are being hired for. Additionally, being available at very short notice (ideally with 1 weeks’ notice) is preferable as clients want interims to join them on demand.
When searching for interim work we advise interim candidates make sure they keep their Linked-In profile up to date. We recommend making it clear on their job title that they are available and open to interim assignments with a mobile phone number. This will make it easy for recruiters to find them and make contact.
When we brief candidates on a particular interim project we will ask them to provide specific written details to evidence their experience of where and when then they have carried out similar projects. This helps in giving clients clarity on candidate’s suitability for a particular role and really helps them understand an interim’s skill set quickly when interims have such a vast array of experience.
Candidates we place are those that are flexible with broad skills and sector experience as well as being responsive and quickly available. Being realistic and flexible with day rate expectations will also increase your chance of securing interim work.
When hiring an interim make sure that the agency you are dealing with understands the brief by giving them as much detail as possible about the nature of the assignment and the skills you require. Ask the agency to ensure that the interims they submit can clearly demonstrate that they have the relevant skills and experience to complete the assignment. Interims do cost more than hiring permanent employees so expect to pay a premium as you are paying for immediate skills that are available on a flexible basis.
When hiring interim resources make sure you ask your recruitment consultant about the market and get a clear understanding of what skills are available, what the costs will be and how easily available the skills are that you require. There is often a pattern to the interim market and several organisations will be hiring for the same skills which does impact on the charge rates.
If you need any help with hiring an HR interim professional or you are looking for interim HR work yourself, please contact one of our interim recruitment experts Sadie Thomas on sadiethomas@oakleafpartnership.com or Rebecca Speers on rebeccaspeers@oakleafpartnership.com for comprehensive, tailored advice for your business or individual circumstances.