Hiring Tech and IT contractors
Get the right talent with a specialist contractor recruitment agency
Do you need an IT or tech contractor to fill a key skill set in your team, raise your company’s game and ensure the success of a project? We have a bank of trusted contractors in all specialist areas, with the expertise and experience you need to get the job done.
Contractors are seen as expensive, but they’re worth it. Hiring a contractor is far quicker than recruiting for a permanent position, and you could have the right expert in place within days. We know where they are and how to get them for you. Just get in touch.
What you need to know about hiring a contractor
Inside or outside IR35?
Companies will need to make their own determination on whether a contractor is inside or outside IR35 however as most contractors will only take outside IR35 assignment it’s often a case of the tail wagging the dog. The reason for this is that the tax implications of work inside IR35 mean that the day rate premium is often substantial. Ideally businesses should structure contracts with statements of work that keep a contract outside of IR35.
How long does a contract need to be?
To attract high quality contractors 6 months is the recommended minimum, it is possible to hire on a 3 month basis but this is likely to result in higher day rates and your contractor having to look ahead to their next role before they are even halfway through their current contract.
How quickly can a contractor be found?
The contract market is fast moving and contractors are often available immediately meaning that with a bit of effort and energy a new starter can be organised within a week although more likely it will take 2-3 weeks from initiation to start.
How to get the most from your contract resource?
Bringing a contractor on board can have a positive effect on your business. Your team will be able to get more done in a shorter period of time, improving the general morale and focus in the office. An expert IT/tech contractor will bring a level of knowledge and skills that you don’t get on the permanent market. They might have been perms once, but evolved and stood out in their specialism, enabling them to act almost as consultants. Remember, not only is the contractor bringing their skills to the team, the rest of the team are able to see the new tricks, tips and approaches the contractor will use, and benefit from it.
Solving your immediate tech/IT needs
New Project?
If you have taken on a new project and found you don’t quite have the resources or manpower to manage it on top of your current workload, you might be tempted to recruit a contractor to inject new energy and take on the heavy lifting. However, this might be damaging to your office dynamic, making your current staff feel inadequate and causing resentment, especially if an exciting development like this was exactly what they’d been waiting for.
If your team is actually up to standard on the new project, then backfilling could be the best solution. Why not hire a contractor to cover your permanent team’s usual work, so they can step up and do the new job? As a result, all work will be done more quickly and everyone will feel happier.
Extra IT Support
Contractors are like superheroes – they’ll come when you call, and use their advanced skills and rare talents to get you out of a hole. When you need someone to provide a quick fill within your digital or IT team for a specific period of time, a contractor can be the ideal solution.
You might be making changes within your business that need specific expertise, or simply a fresh pair of eyes. You might need to change servers, refresh your hardware, test and install a new CRM or customer interface, or transform your entire business IT infrastructure. Whatever your situation, we know a contractor who can come on board to help.
Frequently asked questions
As soon as you tell us the role you need to fill and exactly what skills you are looking for, we can start getting on the phone to all the relevant contractors who will be a good fit with your job. We like to find a solution as quickly as possible, and within 24 hours we should have been able to speak to a selection of suitable candidates and send you their profiles/CVs with our recommendations for you to check out. You won’t have to wait a week!
As specialist recruiters in all the key fields of IT, we have developed long-lasting and loyal relationships with a large bank of trusted expert contractors. We’ll usually know who is working where, what their key skills are, how their jobs are progressing and when they might be coming to the end of their current contract. To save both you and us time, we’ll only call those who we know should be available and will be a great fit for your job.
They may seem expensive compared to a permanent employee, but there are many costs they are covering that you don’t have to worry about.
As a sole trader or limited company, they are responsible for paying all their own tax and national insurance out of their fees, as well as any professional insurance, subscriptions to professional bodies, and of course all their own training costs. Neither do they receive any holiday allowance, Christmas bonus or sick pay.
On top of this, the advanced skills they can bring to a workplace will mean a significant bonus to a business in terms of efficiency, time-to-completion and the value of the finished product. All in all, it’s a bargain.
Meet the team
Andy is responsible for making sure Bristow Holland delivers results for our clients. Drawing on over 20 years recruitment experience, Andy leads our team of specialist recruiters in combining modern recruitment recruitment techniques with old fashioned network building and market knowledge so we can give clients access to the best talent the market has to offer. Since establishing Bristow Holland in 2013 Andy has overseen the building of a team of specialists who are laser focused on delivering the services our clients need to give them the edge in the hunt for the technical skills needed to grow.
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Harry is our networks and infrastructure specialist for the East of England region. Harry is an enthusiastic and engaging recruiter who believes no challenge is too great. He has a keen interest in the real world application of IT infrastructure and enjoys learning from the people in the industry, absorbing their knowledge in the process.
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James joined us in November 21 as a Recruitment Consultant. He is working within software development, building and maintaining a strong understanding of our candidate needs and the development market across Suffolk and Essex.
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Liam joined Bristow Holland in August 2020 and is our specialist in Infrastructure Support positions. Liam started in recruitment in 2013 after spending 6 years in the Royal Navy. A highly experienced and accomplished consultant, Liam has built a comprehensive picture of the IT Support market across the region giving his clients rapid access to the best candidates the market has to offer.
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Marc is our specialist in Change and Transformation and Business Analysis, joining us in early 2017 after several years’ experience at another blue-chip recruitment firm in the construction market. He completed his Prince 2 certification in November 2017. An experienced recruiter, and proud of his track record of success, Marc works hard to build on Bristow Holland’s reputation as the key local supplier for specialised project management, change management and business analysis skills throughout Suffolk and Essex. He’s proactive and supportive in his approach, and takes after-care extremely seriously, making sure the start for new personnel runs smoothly. Marc’s mission is to continue our philosophy of making ourselves available 24/7, building close, long-lasting relationships with everyone he works with, and offering an even better service to candidates and clients alike. Outside of work, Marc is a keen footballer and plays regularly for Wormingford Wanderers FC in Border League Division 1.
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Matt is both Director and a specialist software recruiter with an exclusive network of developers built by word-of-mouth recommendations. He has developed an excellent understanding of the technical skills and environments within the regional development community and his reputation marks him out as a reliable source of guidance to clients and candidates alike. Matt knows that finding a new job or sourcing a new team member can be a challenging time, and he is determined to provide a positive, stress-free experience to everyone he works with. He is focussed on giving you worthwhile and viable options that will enable you to build a structured career path or enhance your team. Matt lives in the locally area with his wife Emma and their sons Charlie, Oscar and Finley. Away from work when not spending time with his family Matt can usually be found on the golf course, gym or charging around the 5-a-side pitch.
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Emily is responsible for compliance and administration across all of the Bristow Holland specialisms. She joins Bristow Holland as a career change from her previous background as a qualified childcare practitioner
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Jake started his recruitment career with Bristow Holland in November 22 bringing with him several years of commercial experience gained after completing his BSc in Human Resource Management from Anglia Ruskin University. Jake is working along side Matt Foot supporting our software development practice.
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Josh started with us at April 2023, previously working in estate agency and making the move into recruitment. Josh joins us to support with our Testing and Applications recruitment.
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Wes joined the Bristow Holland team in May as a Business Manager, specialising in Data AI & ML. Wes brings over 15 years experience in agency recruitment in a variety of senior management roles, and now heads up our emerging AI & ML division.
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