When a new hospitality client approached us with an urgent requirement to build out their team on a fixed-term contract basis, they needed a recruitment partner who could move quickly, understand the challenges of FTC hiring, and engage candidates who could hit the ground running.
Despite a competitive market and the common perception that fixed-term contracts can be harder to fill than permanent roles, the project proved to be a great success. By taking a targeted approach and adapting our search strategy, we were able to secure high-quality candidates within the required timescales and help our client achieve their hiring objectives.
Understanding the Challenge
Unlike permanent recruitment, fixed-term contract hiring often presents a unique set of challenges:
- Candidates can be hesitant about the temporary nature of the role.
- Notice periods can significantly impact start dates.
- Competition from permanent opportunities can be strong.
- Employers need individuals who can quickly integrate into the business and add value from day one.
Our client needed technical professionals who possessed the right technical skills, cultural fit, and flexibility to support the business through a key operational period.
What Worked Well
Several factors contributed to the success of the project:
1. Transparency from the Beginning
We positioned the FTC opportunity honestly and positively, focusing on:
- The quality and reputation of the organisation.
- The immediate impact candidates could make.
- Opportunities to gain valuable experience.
- Potential longer-term career prospects – whether an extension or permanent opportunity within the company, depending on the project
By being transparent about the contract length and expectations, we built trust with candidates from the outset.
2. Speed of Delivery
Hospitality hiring often moves quickly, especially when it’s FTC recruitment.
We ensured:
- CV reviews were completed in a timely manner
- Suitable candidates were contacted immediately.
- Interviews were arranged efficiently – video interviews were quick to set up and with the candidates being immediately available, helped the process
- Regular communication was maintained with both client and candidates.
This reduced the risk of losing strong candidates to competing opportunities.
3. Candidate Experience
A key focus throughout the project was maintaining a positive candidate experience.
We provided:
- Detailed briefings before interviews.
- Interview expectation – 1 stage interview, resulting in a quick process.
- Honest candidate feedback. At Marshall Wolfe, we always like to share constructive feedback.
- Continuous communication throughout the process.
- Support during onboarding and pre-start checks – we worked closely with their internal recruiter, making sure candidates had completed the onboarding process successfully and ensured they had everything they needed for their first day.
This helped create confidence in both the opportunity and our client.
Did Our Search Strategy Differ for a Fixed-Term Contract?
Our search strategy was different from a ‘normal’ permanent hire. Our approach was looking for someone already in a contract or short-term role, or someone who has unfortunately faced redundancy. When candidates are immediately available, this speeds up the interview process.
We had to work quickly on finding the right candidate – both technically and someone who would fit well within our client’s organisation.
Broader Candidate Targeting
For permanent roles, candidates are often looking for long-term career progression. For this project, we focused on professionals who were more likely to see value in a fixed-term opportunity, including:
- Individuals completing existing contracts.
- Candidates between permanent positions.
- Candidates returning to work after a career/personal break.
- Candidates seeking experience with a recognised employer.
- Individuals looking for greater flexibility in their next role.
Emphasis on Immediate Availability
Availability became part of our key search. Candidates with: short notice periods, strong technical skills for the project and immediate availability were prioritised, enabling us to meet the client’s hiring timeline.
Candidate Feedback
The success of any placement is best measured by the experience of the candidates involved.
Candidate testimonial
“ A real pleasure working with Sarah from Marshall Wolfe, from the first phone call to the point of getting the role. Sarah is very friendly and polite, which helped a lot with getting things submitted to the client. Thank you for everything and the follow up check-in call post first day :)”
Our Thoughts
The project delivered several successful placements within the agreed timeframe, allowing our client to strengthen their technical team during a critical period.
Key outcomes included:
- Multiple successful FTC placements.
- Reduced time-to-hire.
- Excellent candidate engagement.
- Positive hiring manager feedback.
Fixed-term contract recruitment can sometimes be viewed as more challenging than permanent hiring, but with the right strategy, clear communication, and a strong understanding of candidate motivations, it can be hugely successful. This project demonstrated that by adapting our search approach, focusing on candidate experience, and building strong partnerships with both candidates and clients, we can consistently deliver exceptional recruitment outcomes across both permanent and contract markets.
