Loud Thinking

THE MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY: Harvard Business Review

December 28, 2017

To Find the Best Contractors, Look Beyond the Usual Suspects

If you’re struggling to find qualified candidates for a short-term role, it may be time to expand your search. Don’t assume that the job needs someone who’s done the same type of work in your industry. If you’re reviewing candidates for a project management role in real estate, for example, don’t rule out folks who hail from a health care background, as long as they have the requisite, or transferable, skills. And seek out candidates in markets where there is less competition for them. While you’ll find the biggest supply of talent — and the highest demand — in New York City and San Francisco, some cities have a larger supply and lower demand, such as Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia, Denver, and Washington, DC. Despite what you might think, many contractors are willing to relocate, so don’t look only in your market.

Adapted from “A Guide to Finding and Hiring the Best Contractors,” by Alyssa Merwin