Blog

Sponsored post by: Campion Willcocks

Interim and contract roles continue rising in popularity, delivering clear benefits for individuals and the companies employing them

No matter how well they are performing, many managers in permanent roles would like the opportunity to spread their wings; to apply their skills and experience to new challenges in different settings. At the same time, many employers want access to specialist expertise for defined periods of time: perhaps following an acquisition or during a major HR or IT transformation. They want expert resources on tap. The good news for employers is they have a growing pool of flexible interim talent to call upon. 

The Financial Times recently reported that more managers are set to work short-term contracts, and that building a successful career as an interim manager or contractor on a succession of temporary fixed-term contracts can provide “a well-paid, varied and more flexible way of working.” With employment increasingly focused on tasks and outcomes rather than “jobs”, the thinking goes, this flexible approach is coming to the fore.

The FT quoted Kirsty Holt, a successful interim manager and Campion Willcocks associate, who left her job at Barclays Bank over a decade ago. Since then, she’s worked on a wide range of HR-related assignments, typically change programmes in financial services, and for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than a year. “The FT article rightly said that it helps to be a self-starter, and you need the self-discipline to work extremely hard: clients are paying a significant amount of money, and expect you to deliver. Of course, as an interim, you benefit from far greater flexibility, opportunity and variety in your career.” She also points to the importance of building a strong relationship with an interim recruitment firm, and of working with established firms with a good reputation.

“I’ve worked with Campion Willcocks for years,” Kirsty says. “They understand my strengths and where I can really deliver value for a client. So they are far more likely to recommend me for the right roles, where I’ll be a good fit. It works the other way, too. Because Campion Willcocks has strong client relationships – including many of the leading names in financial services, and over many years – its clients know they will only be offered the strongest candidates with the right mix of skills and experience for that particular assignment.”  

“The FT article covered a trend we’ve been seeing for some time,” says Richard Clifford, Managing Director, Campion Willcocks. He agrees that working with exemplary candidates is one side of the equation: “The other is your own standing as a professional interim recruitment firm. We’re well recognised in the industry, in particular for our track record in financial services. Our clients trust us to deliver the right candidates, and our interim managers and contractors trust us to place them in the right roles, helping them to follow the flexible career path they’ve chosen. It’s a win/win situation.”