Hiring needs aren’t always black and white. Sometimes, you need someone who’ll grow with the business. Other times, you need a game-changer who can hit the ground running and deliver from day one. How do you know whether to make your next hire a permanent or contract one?
At Certain Advantage, we support businesses across the UK with both. And while every situation is unique, there are some clear indicators to help you make the call.
We spoke to our delivery team, the consultants who service our clients with both permanent and temporary candidates, and they gave us their take.
When a permanent hire makes sense
You’re building for the long term. You want someone to join the team, someone who will learn the ropes, absorb and reflect your culture, and hopefully progress within the business.
Permanent hires are ideal when:
- You need continuity and long-term ownership of work
- The role has a clear growth trajectory
- The cost of re-hiring would be high
- You want to invest in developing internal expertise
Market Insight
Permanent staff often bring more loyalty and institutional knowledge over time, which is especially valuable in regulated or IP-heavy sectors.
Our most often filled permanent roles include Systems Engineers, Solicitors, Project Managers, Marketing Managers, HR Managers, and Sales Professionals.
When contract hiring is the smarter choice
Speed, flexibility, and specialist skillsets are the big wins here. Contractors or temps can step into gaps quickly, whether you’re covering parental leave, navigating a hiring freeze, or delivering a project that needs niche experience.
Contract hiring is the right route when:
- You need urgent cover or short-term support
- The workload is project-based or seasonal, and you need to be able to flex your headcount
- You’re waiting on permanent headcount approval
- Specialist skills are temporarily needed for a project
It’s also a low-risk way to assess ongoing needs. Many clients use contracting as a trial before converting the role to a permanent one.
A quick cost comparison
It’s easy to assume contractors are more expensive, but that’s not always the case.
Yes, day rates can be higher. But you don’t pay for holidays, sick leave, pension, or training. And if the contractor delivers in 3 months what a permanent hire might achieve in 6, the return on investment can stack up quickly.
Still, permanent employment can be more cost-effective in the long run for roles with ongoing responsibilities and no clear end date.
What if you’re still not sure?
That’s where we come in. We help you weigh the options and make the decision on a role-by-role basis. We can even help you meet a few candidates to help inform your decision.
We’ve got a great talent pool of permanent and contract specialists, which we believe is invaluable given the current skills gap across the UK.
We’re constantly in touch with these people, knowing who’s available, who’s upskilling and who’s looking for a new challenge. If you need someone tomorrow, we can help. If you’re planning for growth next quarter, we’ve got that covered, too.
Let’s talk resourcing.
Whether you need a quick solution or a long-term hire, we’ll give you honest advice, and deliver. Fill out the form below to start the conversation.