MRT Insights

With the recent growth of the contract workforce, Jimmy Carter, Executive Recruiter at MRT, answered a few questions regarding his insights on the contract staffing field.

As noted in our recent blog on contract work benefits, flexibility within a role has become one of the most sought-after characteristics of a job listing. Candidates in today’s workforce are focused on having flexibility in their schedules with an emphasis on work-life balance. Both employers and job seekers are attracted to contract staffing because of its asset of flexibility. Contract placements have skyrocketed nationwide. In this Staff Spotlight, we will be taking a closer look at Jimmy Carter’s perspective of the contract staffing business and his predictions for the future.

Jimmy’s Beginnings

Jimmy joined MRT in 2011 and has helped the firm match hundreds of candidates to open job roles. Being an innovator is one of Jimmy’s strong suits. He is a creative problem solver to drive consistent bottom-line improvements for the companies he works with. Since becoming a part of the MRT team, Jimmy has become responsible for building world-class organizations from the ground up. Always using his experience and expertise to help him with all things recruiting. Jimmy has come into his own under his executive position and continues to push the envelope with innovation in his industry.

Contract Staffing’s Unique Benefits

To Jimmy, contract staffing is a unique strategy that he has seen become more prevalent in the recruiting industry. Employers are looking to cut costs and become more flexible with bringing on new staff members, which is exactly what contract staffing allows. Contract staffing is fast-paced, and addresses a specific need the client may have, Jimmy says. It can help provide a less expensive solution than bringing on permanent employees. Sometimes, employers will want to fill a permanent role, but before hiring someone permanently, they sign them to a temporary contract to see if they would fit well in the position before committing to them long-term. Jimmy calls this, “try before they buy”

The Future of Contract Staffing

Throughout Jimmy’s tenure with MRT, he has seen contract staffing evolve into a highly used business employment strategy that continues to grow. In a recent report from MRINetwork and People 2.0, over 70% of executives plan to use more temporary workers, with 32% of companies having replaced full-time staff with contingent workers in the year 2020. Within the MRINetwork, there has been a 117% increase in the MRI contract staffing business since 2020. This exemplifies the highly needed demand for contract workers for companies that are looking to cut payroll costs.

Using Contract Staffing Effectively

According to Jimmy, companies are not effectively using contract staffing to its fullest potential. However, he adds that more and more companies are learning the advantages of using contract workers. Contract workers provide a lower cost to the company’s labor and the future earnings of the business. Jimmy recommends that companies that are looking to expand the scope of their business look into contracting employees. Contingent staffing can fill specific needs and can import the skills required in areas where the expertise is limited. To contract workers themselves, Jimmy recommends taking advantage of the premium on compensation,. Keep your eyes open for other contract or permanent opportunities that will satisfy your needs.

If you need any personal or professional advice, consulting, or recruiting from Jimmy, reach out to him here. We love guiding individuals and helping build careers and companies wherever we can.