Interviewing for a contract role? What should I know?

Every interview will be different, which is not surprising, given the human element involved and considering that every position is different. For this reason, every contract interview will also be different. You can not 100% predict what will be asked and how your will perceived. However, you can and should prepare just the same as you would for a permanent interview.

Fundamental differences exist between contract and permanent interviews. The focal areas for a permanent applicant tend to around the value adds, cultural fit and your career plans and there tends to be a longer more diligent process involved in securing the role. Below we list 5 key areas which will most certainly be covered thoughout the process, regardless of how informal or short this may be!

5 focal areas covered in a contract interview

• The employer is looking for an immediate solution.

If you are successful, the business will want you to start on short notice. You should have thought through your availability prior to the interview: know when you can start and for how long you are available to work for. You will find that in your offer or contract, you are required to provide only a short period of notice should you choose to end the contract early and the same will apply to the employer. Such flexibility is usually advantageous for both parties.

• You will be paid an hourly rate or pro rata salary

You will be paid an hourly rate plus superannuation but will not be paid other entitlements (unless otherwise stated). You will find that some businesses will therefore pay a premium. You may be required to work longer hours or weekends to ensure you meet the proposed deadlines. Given this, expect to be asked about times when you have had to work to meet tough timeframes and be prepared to be asked about your rate and flexibility on this.

• You will be required to “get the job done”

The employer will be looking for someone who has the skills able to work autonomously and/or source resources required to get the job done. This is why questions will tend to focus on “what you have done” not where you are looking to go. This is often why some contractors end up with an area of specialization.

• You will be required to “hit the ground running”

This may mean that the work is already building and you may need to firstly manage a backlog! You may be replacing someone who is on leave, your job is to ensure everything continues to tick over with little, if any training. If this is the case, do not be surprised to find you start the role one day and there is a deadline to meet within the same week. The ability to perform in this type of role will be tested at interview through behavioral based questions. Competencies you should expect to be able to demonstrate include prioritization, efficiency and flexibility. Many behavioral based questions are available for you to download: Behavioural Based Interview Questions

An example “Give me an example of a time when you were required to meet a deadline without all the available resources as hand. What did you do and how did you do it?

• Shorter interview process

Generally for a contract role, the process will entail only one interview which may last for even less than one hour! Whoever you meet and however short the meeting is, you need to provide maximum impact. Personal presentation, an appropriate level of understanding about the company and job and strong confident answers are all essential. Many believe that due to time constraints, you may receive some “benefit of the doubt” Certainly, do not rely on this! Judgment is still made and you will still be compared against other applicants and predecessors in the role so make sure you are impressionable.

Your resume

To give yourself the best chance of success your resume should fit the contract description. It should show clear reasoning if gaps exist between roles and you should try to highlight or develop a theme through the key strengths and responsibilities you document. This may actually require you to remove detail for some of your roles or some projects you have done which seem completely irrelevant to this position.

Your trusted adviser

Ensure that your recruitment consultant or the employer clearly understands your availability and where you have had experience in a similar type of role.

The final tip is to keep both your employer and agent up to date with how the contract progresses and whether you are on schedule so that plans for an extension can be negotiated if necessary or so you can begin to start the job search again!