More contract employees are expected in 2008 to counter the shortage of local HR professionals in the workforce.

With the increasing talent shortage, companies are finding it hard to secure the right people with the right skill sets within a short time frame. Hence, contract employees become a handy option for companies urgently seeking people for ad hoc and short term strategic projects.

Despite fears that being a contract worker would hurt employment and career opportunities,  taking contract work will not jeopardise the HR professional’s search for a permanent job as long as contract assignments offer breadth and depth in terms of experience and job exposure.

Joanne Chua, manager, Robert Walters’ human resources specialist recruitment division, feels HR professionals need to be more open-minded to contract roles as they offer the exposure to various industries and provide candidates with significant project management experience. She adds this is a trend which has been well-accepted in Europe, US and Australia. The contract rates are also usually slightly higher than the salaries a permanent staff would normally get.

Chua says, “Because of the varied exposure, experience and skills gained from working with different organisations and projects, contract employees are often offered permanent roles at the company where they are offering their contracting services.”

She adds being a free agent allows the contract employee to also assess the company, the culture and the management before committing to a permanent role in the organisation.

When asked how can HR practitioners prepare for such a mindset change, Chua says, “The challenge of an exciting new role or turning around a major failed project, the exposure that will potentially be gained from taking on regional or global projects as well as a premium salary will be the key motivators.”