Engaged search · contingent · staffing·17 years of placement expertise·Backed by ProHireHQ AI ↗
Engaged Headhunters/Solutions/Contract Staffing
Solutions · Pillar

Contract Staffing.

W-2 contractors with full employer-of-record back-office. Project work. Leave coverage. Surge capacity. Convertible to direct hire.

Pricing
Bill rate (pay + markup)
Best for
3 to 12-month projects
Employment
W-2 through us
Convertible
Yes, pro-rata fee
Definition

What is contract staffing?

Contract staffing is a model where the firm provides talent on a defined timeline, typically three to twelve months, with the firm acting as the W-2 employer-of-record. Payroll, benefits, workers' comp, unemployment insurance, and HR compliance run through us.

You get the talent and the cost certainty without the long-term headcount commitment, and you avoid the worker-classification risk that comes with mis-classified 1099 engagements. Day-to-day work direction comes from your team. The employment relationship lives with the firm.

We focus on mid-to-senior professional and clinical contract staffing, project-shaped roles where the bar is high. We do not run light-industrial or hourly-frontline contract staffing.

How it works

The engagement, in five steps.

From scoping to onboarded contractor in two to five weeks depending on role tier. Surge engagements possible when the role matches available bench.

  1. Scope & bill rate

    We define the scope, duration, deliverables, and the candidate-pay band. Markup quoted to bill rate. Replacement window and conversion-fee schedule agreed in writing.

  2. Sourcing & shortlist

    Senior staffing partner sources from the contract bench plus direct outreach. ProHireHQ AI sourcing surfaces passive contractors not on traditional benches.

  3. Interview & offer

    You interview the shortlist; we manage scheduling and candidate communications. Offer issued by the firm at the bill rate scoped, with full benefits eligibility per plan.

  4. Onboard & W-2 setup

    Background check, I-9, W-4, state withholding, benefits enrollment, workers' comp coverage, all run through the firm's back-office. Contractor starts on agreed date.

  5. Run & convert (optional)

    Day-to-day work direction from your team; employment relationship through us. Conversion to direct hire is pro-rata against the markup, fee-free after about 12 months.

Compare

Contract vs. Direct hire.

Two different employment shapes. Pick the one that matches the role's scope, duration, and your headcount commitment.

Contract Staffing

  • W-2 through the firm
  • 3 to 12-month engagements
  • Bill rate (pay + markup)
  • Convertible to direct hire
  • Best for project, leave, surge

Direct Hire

  • W-2 through your company
  • Permanent headcount
  • Placement fee paid once
  • Replacement guarantee window
  • Best for permanent roles
Where this runs today

Contract staffing by industry.

Industry pages are SEO/AEO entry points. Contract staffing scales any project-shaped or interim engagement; staffing partners work in niches we may not yet list.

SILO · 01

Healthcare

Travel RN · interim clinical · NP locum

Travel RNs, interim CNOs, NP locum, contract PT/OT/SLP

See staffing partners →
SILO · 02

Behavioral Health

BCBA · clinical fill-in · interim leads

Contract BCBAs, interim clinical directors, RBT teams

See staffing partners →
SILO · 03

Finance

Interim CFO · controller · senior accountant

Interim CFOs, controllers, senior accountants, FP&A leads

See staffing partners →
SILO · 04

Technology

Engineering · DevOps · security

Software engineers, DevOps, security analysts, PMs

See staffing partners →
SILO · 05

Manufacturing

Plant ops · supply chain · maintenance

Plant managers, planners, maintenance leads, EHS

See staffing partners →
SILO · 06

Construction

Project teams · estimation · scheduling

Project managers, estimators, schedulers, supers

See staffing partners →
FAQ

Contract staffing,
specifically.

The questions hiring leaders ask in the first call. Answered the way we answer them in the call.

Can a contract convert to direct hire?
Yes, and many do. Conversion fees are scoped at engagement, with the contract markup time-credited against the conversion fee on a pro-rata schedule. After about 12 months on contract the conversion is typically fee-free.
How is contract staffing priced?
Cost is the contractor's bill rate, which includes their pay rate plus our markup. The markup covers W-2 burden (payroll taxes, workers' comp, unemployment), benefits, and the firm's recruiting and back-office cost. Final markup is quoted to scope and bill rate at engagement.
Do contractors get benefits?
Yes. W-2 contractors are eligible for medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and PTO under the firm's benefits plan. Eligibility timing depends on engagement length and start date; we walk through it on the offer call.
How fast can a contractor start?
Typical contract placements close in 2 to 3 weeks for mid-level roles and 3 to 5 weeks for senior or niche roles. Surge engagements (start within 7 to 10 days) are possible when the role is a clean fit to candidates already on the bench.
What if the contractor doesn't work out?
Contract engagements include a replacement window scoped at engagement. If the contractor is not the right fit, we replace at no additional fee inside the window. The first month of any engagement carries the tightest fit-check cadence.
Who manages the contractor day-to-day?
You do. Day-to-day work direction, deliverables, and project assignments come from your team. The firm carries the employment relationship: payroll, benefits, HR compliance, and any performance-management escalations through the firm's HR.
●Scope a contract engagement

Tell us the role, the duration, the start date.

We come back inside one business day with a bill-rate quote, a market read, and a candidate timeline.

Scope contract →See direct hire →
SILO · 01 — FOR COMPANIES