Long-Term Contract Searches

Long-Term Contract Searches in one line

Available on request for defined projects such as builds, shutdowns and storm recovery, with terms set per engagement. We take assignments long enough to justify proper screening, not one-day fills.

Permanent contingency search is our default. This arrangement is available on request, with terms set per engagement.

We recruit and present candidates. We do not employ, pay or insure contract workers. Any contract or temp-to-perm arrangement is between you and the worker or the worker's own employer, on terms agreed in writing before the start date.

How the search runs

Contract searches are available on request

Permanent direct hire remains our default, and long term contract searches are offered only when a client asks and the work justifies it. These searches suit defined projects such as large builds, plant shutdowns and recovery after storms. The terms are set for each engagement and agreed in writing before work begins. Nothing on this page is a standard offer, and we describe it so clients know what to expect before they ask.

Clients who ask for a contract search should expect questions about the project, the site and the plan for the end of the assignment, because strong people ask the same questions.

What we mean by long term

We take assignments that are long enough to justify proper screening. A single day fill does not allow for a careful conversation about a person's work, and it does not serve the person or the employer. We are not a labor hall and we do not dispatch workers to jobs on short notice. If the need is immediate and brief, we will say plainly that we are not the right firm.

Short assignments can still be handled well when the roles are specialized and the hiring company plans carefully, but we decline requests that would turn us into a dispatcher of daily labor.

Who the employer is

In a contract search the hiring company remains the employer. It directs the work, pays the person, provides insurance and manages safety, under its own arrangements. We do not employ contract workers, we do not pay them and we do not insure them. Our role is to recruit and qualify candidates and to describe the opportunity honestly. Clients should confirm worker classification rules for the job location with their own advisors.

Because classification rules differ between places, we do not advise on them, and we encourage each client to consult its own advisors before any assignment begins.

Where contract searches make sense

They suit projects with a defined scope and an end, such as a data center build, a utility program, a turnaround or a restoration effort. They also suit senior roles such as a project manager or superintendent needed for a single project. We ask the client to describe the scope, the schedule, the site rules and what happens after the project, since candidates want to know.

Some assignments end in a permanent offer, and we discuss that possibility openly with both sides at the start.

Screening for contract work

People who take contract work often value variety, travel and autonomy. We ask about their experience on similar projects, their comfort with changing sites and what they need from an employer. We confirm credentials with dates and note what the client must verify for the job location. Employer-run background, drug and medical checks apply to candidates who consent, and we do not run them.

We also ask about their preferences for site type, schedule and the kind of crew they prefer to join, since these decide whether an assignment goes smoothly for everyone involved.

Terms set per engagement

Pay structure, travel provisions, duration of the assignment, conversion to permanent employment and fees are all discussed when a client asks and are recorded in a written agreement for that engagement. We do not publish rates or promise a timeline here, because each project differs. Candidates see the terms before they agree to be introduced, which prevents misunderstanding.

Terms are never set by this page, and no rate, duration or speed is promised here.

Where candidates come from

We approach experienced tradespeople and leaders who are working now, including those who prefer project based assignments, those between projects and those who want a defined engagement before a permanent move. Pools are described by type only and we do not name employers. We respect each candidate's current commitments and never pressure anyone to leave a job.

Project managers, superintendents, estimators and specialized technicians are the roles most often requested in this form.

How to ask

Tell us the project, the roles, the location and the schedule. We will say whether a contract search is appropriate, or whether permanent direct hire is a better fit. Many clients begin with a contract request and decide a permanent hire is wiser. Our how we work and recruiting fees pages describe the rest, and we answer questions plainly before anything is signed.

If a contract search is not the right fit, we will say so and suggest a better structure.

What happens next

1. You send the trade, scope and location. Two short steps.
2. Ivan or a senior team member will reach out soon.
3. We search, qualify people live, and send a written brief on each person we present.

Details on our process and recruiting fees.

What happens in The Six-Step Search?

Every Skilled Trades Headhunters client search follows the same six named steps. Here is what happens at each one and what you get from it.

1. 1

   Intake and calibration

   We agree on the work, location, pay, schedule and credentials before contacting anyone.

   What you get: You get a clear role profile with the deal breakers named up front.

2. 2

   Targeted market research

   We map the trade backgrounds and local or traveling talent that fit. We use relevant employer types, referrals and public license lookups where available.

   What you get: You get a search aimed at the actual work, not a job title alone.

3. 3

   Personal outreach

   We contact working tradespeople individually about the opening and what would make a move worthwhile.

   What you get: You reach people who are not replying to your job advertisement.

4. 4

   Live qualification

   Each person is talked through the scope, equipment and schedule in a live conversation. Applicable licenses are checked with the issuing authority.

   What you get: You only hear about people who understand the job and want it.

5. 5

   Written shortlist insight

   We present a short list with a written brief on each person: what they do now, what they want and what to probe.

   What you get: You interview a few people instead of reading a stack.

6. 6

   Interview and offer support

   We help you prepare interviews, discuss the offer and address counteroffers. We stay in touch through the agreed start.

   What you get: You have support for the hiring decision. The signed agreement sets the replacement terms.

Send Us Your Open Role

What we do not do

• No hourly billing and no workers on our payroll.
• No retainer unless agreed in writing.
• No reposting your opening on job boards.
• Not a same-day labor hall.
• No drug, MVR or background checks; your company runs any the role requires.

Details on how our fee works.