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Managing Contractors and Temps - Best Practice

Best practice advice for managing contract and temp workers at each stage of the candidate lifecycle

Whether you’re working high-volume temp bookings or placing specialist contractors, managing fast-paced placements requires structure, speed, and precision. Having a compliant and engaged candidate bank ready to go can be the difference between winning or missing an opportunity.

This guide breaks down the shared and role-specific advice for managing Contractors and Temps in Firefish to help you drive quicker placements and deliver a great candidate experience.

 

 

Candidate Record Management

Keeping your candidate records up to date ensures you can respond quickly when a new role comes in.

Availability

Record your candidates’ availability, notice period, and preferred working patterns (e.g. full-time, part-time, evenings, weekends) to help you identify suitable candidates based on job requirements.

Compliance Details

Whether your roles require specific certificates or qualifications, collecting compliance information early means you can place candidates more quickly — especially for immediate start roles.
Check out our top tips for managing candidate compliance.

Pay Information

If you’re regularly placing candidates in short-term or rolling contracts, always ensure their pay details are accurate and up to date:

  • Pay Type (e.g. LTD Company, Umbrella, Self-Employed)
  • Payment Method and Frequency
  • Bank Account Details

You can also use the Supplier Directory to build a list of trusted Umbrella Companies.

SMS / Email Marketing

Make sure candidates are opted into marketing communications so you can:

 

Setting Up Job Workflows

Ensure your job workflows are tailored for Temp and Contract placements so that required fields are captured accurately. This is especially important if you’re using Timesheet Portal.

Contract Job Workflow Fields

  • IR35 status
  • Level of compliance required
  • Default pay type (LTD or PAYE)
  • Rate type (Hourly or Daily)
  • Additional Rates
  • Job authorisation
  • Timesheet authoriser

Temp Job Workflow Fields

  • PO number
  • Level of compliance required
  • Additional Rates (e.g. overtime)
  • Job authorisation
  • Timesheet authoriser

 

Aftercare and Contract Completion

Placing a candidate is just the beginning. Ongoing aftercare helps you maintain strong relationships and uncover future opportunities.

Check-ins

Regularly check in with both candidate and client throughout the assignment. This supports retention, service quality, and future business development.

Current Contracts View

Use Current Contracts in your Dashboard Quick Links to view:

  • How long candidates have left on their assignments
  • Which contracts may need follow-up or extensions

End-of-Assignment Process

As a candidate nears the end of a contract:

  • Reach out to the client to confirm if the role will be extended
  • Begin sourcing their next opportunity
  • Request a reference if appropriate — especially useful for Temps to support future placements

 

Managing Contractors and Temps successfully in Firefish means keeping records accurate, workflows configured, and communications flowing throughout the entire placement process. By following these best practices, you’ll support faster fill rates and a better experience for both candidates and clients.