Today IT managers in every industry are seeking  to avoid project risk by competing for skilled software developers.

From building custom applications to streamlining a company’s workflow, IT managers know that the difference between an average and a highly proficient software developer directly correlates to risk and whether they’ll meet their MBO goals.

Knowing how much is at stake, how can you find reliable professionals to meet your IT staffing needs competently and quickly and in the process, mitigate business and personal risk?

Here are four instances when it’s wise to enlist the help of a trusted IT staffing vendor in your search for the best of the best contract software developers.

#1 You Need To Hire A Software Developer Right Away

Given how quickly modern business moves, your need for a good software developer might well arise without warning.

You start your day on top of your game with well thought-out plans only to leave a meeting with the CIO to find yourself severely short-handed on resources with the skills needed to get the job done on time, elevating the risk of meeting deadlines.

Securing the right expert may well be the stumbling block that’s holding your project back.  This is when turning to external professionals is the smart move.

An experienced, proficient company can assess your needs and provide you with a selection of fully qualified candidates without delay and in the process remove the extra burden you find yourself under.

#2 You’re Unsure Of Your Long-Term Needs

When the need for resources first appears, it can be hard to figure out if you’re dealing with a one-off event or the start of a permanent position.

In the instance of a software maintenance or upgrade project, the need may be shorter term.

But in cases where a newer technology is being implemented, the need for an internal position with the new skill set may be essential for the long haul.

In this instance, you don’t need to waste time pondering that question when you work with an expert staffing firm specializing in the types of resources you need.

It’s the ideal opportunity to use a contract consultant to complete a one-off development project.

Or, when filling a permanent role, you could use the opportunity to evaluate a individual and validate their skills and cultural fit to hedge your risk of a bad hire by engaging the individual through a contract-to-hire engagement.

#3 You Want To Draw On A Large Talent Pool

Depending on your business culture, work and time commitments and other factors, you may not be intimately familiar with market trends, availability of resources with in-demand technologies or trending costs for certain skill sets.

When you enlist the services of staffing specialists in your quest to hire a software developer, the good news is that it doesn’t matter how much you know about the hiring scene!

Partnering with the right company means you’re not only enlisting the services of recruiting pros, you’re also getting knowledgeable consulting expertise to educate you on what to expect as you source candidates to fill your position.

For example:

• What should you expect to pay a candidate with the skills you’re seeking?
• What obstacles might you be encountering in a market rife with competition for like resources?
• What areas of negotiation might you consider to land the perfect candidate and avoid the risk of losing her?

Your staffing partner is your trusted consultant to help you navigate the hiring process successfully.

The right company will have thorough specialists who ensure you get the individual with the right skills at a reasonable price point & in a timely manner.

#4 You Want A Developer Vetted By Experts

It’s no secret that hiring any new employee can be costly and a big gamble.

Even if you’re an IT professional yourself, it’s hard to know if you’re getting your money’s worth with an IT hire.

An effective IT staffing agency providing contract resources cuts down on the uncertainty and risk by making an accurate assessment of a candidate’s capabilities.

If the candidate is not all you thought he’d be, you are able to easily disengage with the resource without all of the red tape you would typically have with your own W-2 employee.

Your staffing partner’s process should include vetting the candidates not just to verify skills and technology qualifications and career history, but also their soft skills and problem solving skills as well.

Avoiding Unnecessary Risks

Too many times candidates are able to talk about technologies from a technical view, but not so much when actually applying the technology.  Book knowledge as opposed to practical application is one area where a project can be put at unnecessary risk.

Importantly, top technical people need to assess if the candidate can walk the talk and deliver on the promise.

There is a variety of methodology to do this, and some are better than others.

The result of a thorough vetting process? You wind up with the reliable professional you’re looking for.

In order for this to work properly, however, it takes time and various resources to get it right.

Does Your ‘Partner’ Really Understand Your Needs?

Managers have to ask themselves if they’re getting resumes within hours or even the same day are they really getting thoroughly vetted candidates?

Maybe…maybe not.

Relying on a good staffing company takes the uncertainty out of your IT hires but requires patience and an understanding of the vetting process and what it takes to target an ideal candidate.

With the market for talented IT professionals being a tremendously complicated and competitive landscape, NOT using a specialist may mean the difference between delivering a project on time and on budget or not.

Securing the right candidate for the role depends on whether or not the company and the manager have an understanding of current market conditions for the technology skills they’re seeking.

If there’s any doubt at all, it is likely best to mitigate risk by covering your bases and utilizing a third party expert who has their success tied to yours.

Mitigating hiring mistakes hedges your risk not only for cost and project over-runs but may very well be for the security of your own position.