You hire a professional for a fixed period (usually 3–6 months) through a staffing or outsourcing company.

During this period, they work as part of your team, but technically, they are on the staffing partner’s payroll.

Test before committing – You get to see the person in action before offering them a permanent role.

Reduced hiring risk – If they don’t perform well, you can simply end the contract without the headaches of firing a permanent employee.

Longer to fill permanent roles – You need to wait for the trial period to end before making a full-time hire.

Risk of losing the candidate – The person might get a better offer during the contract and leave before you can hire them.

You bring in skilled professionals from an outsourcing or staffing company to work alongside your in-house team.

They stay on the vendor’s payroll, not yours.

Quick onboarding – You can start work in days instead of waiting weeks or months.

Flexible duration – Hire for as long as you need, whether that’s a few weeks or many months.

Not ideal for long-term roles – Since they are not permanent employees, they may not be deeply invested in your company’s internal goals.

Communication challenges – If the work is remote or across time zones, you’ll need strong communication processes.

You plan to fill permanent positions but want to be sure about the person first.

You want to reduce the risk of making a wrong hiring decision.

You need more people quickly for a project.

You need specialized technical skills that your team currently lacks.

Contract-to-Hire is the best choice when your main goal is to build a strong, permanent team with the right people.

Staff Augmentation is perfect when your priority is speed, flexibility, and quick access to niche skills.