Rates of pay: Smaller / part time projects would probably benefit from an hourly rate whereas larger and longer projects would be weekly or monthly. You need to consider how contractors are going to get paid, who is going to pay them (intermediary), how they’re going to report their time (time sheets, tech platform and who is going to monitor those). Recruitment agencies, like Give A Grad A Go, will cover all this for a margin they would charge on top of the candidates’ costs.2. Contracts and IR35: Before you look to hire a contractor you will also need to decide what type of contract you would like to offer them. For example, you might be offering a fixed-term contract or a casual employment contract. Another thing to consider is IR35, which is a new rule that has been enforced by HMRC to combat disguised employment. It is important to adhere to these rules as an employer to ensure that you are paying the correct amount of the tax and national insurance to avoid interest and penalty charges.3. Sourcing and vetting: The contractor recruitment market is fast moving and, at times, it’s very competitive. Contractors, who are generally considered ‘self-employed’, don’t like to hang around for long when they’re looking for their next project so it would not be beneficial for employers starting to look and then drawing out the hiring process after. Candidate’s available will be likely to change fairly quickly (much faster than the perm market) and good contractors do tend to get multiple offers.  So you’ll need to have the exact specification, vetting process and start dates all mapped out before you start, as well as knowing how you’re going to be searching and which agencies you’re going to be briefing to source the right candidates for you.