Say it like this
- We brought in a contractor to speed up development
- The contractor finished the project on time
- We're looking for contractors with DevOps experience
Use it at work
Hiring
- We'll bring in a contractor for three months.
- Is this a full-time role or a contractor role?
Working together
- Please give the contractor access to the repo.
- The contractor finishes on Friday, so let's do a handover.
Contracts
- Contractors need to sign an NDA first.
- Our contractor bills by the hour.
Don't say this
Contractors are not employees, so saying 'contractor employee' is contradictory and confusing.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| contractor | Temporary worker, not on payroll | Company hires them | Projects, short terms |
| employee | Permanent staff on payroll | The company | Long-term |
| vendor | Company that sells a service | Procurement | Ongoing supply |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. We need to _______ a contractor to help with the AWS migration project.
2. Which sentence uses contractor incorrectly?
3. Your manager asks about the developer working on a short-term project. What do you say?
4. Rewrite this sentence using contractor naturally: 'We brought in an outside person who is not an employee to help fix the database problem.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"We brought in a contractor to speed up development"
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More about contractor
Real examples(3)
- in a standup
"Our contractor from the external firm will present the database optimization work today."
- in a code review
"The contractor implemented the API endpoint according to the specifications we provided."
- in a team meeting
"We need to renew the contractor agreement because the project timeline was extended by two weeks."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Do not confuse with 'contract' (the document). A contractor is a person, not an agreement. Also avoid using it to mean someone who writes contracts.
- ✕The contractor will work with us permanently.✓The contractor will work with us for six months.
Contractors have defined time limits; permanent work means they should be employees instead.
- ✕We signed the contractor yesterday.✓We signed the contract with the contractor yesterday.
You sign a contract, not the contractor. The contractor is the person, the contract is the agreement.
Other forms(3)
- contractor noun
"The contractor delivered the code on schedule."
- contractors (plural) noun
"We have five contractors working on different projects this quarter."
- contractor team noun (adjective use)
"The contractor team completed the migration successfully."
Often used with(5)
- hire a contractor · Used when bringing a contractor into a project or company
- external contractor · Emphasizes that the contractor is from outside the company
- contractor agreement/contract · The formal document defining terms, duration, and rates
- independent contractor · A self-employed contractor, not representing a larger firm
- contractor rate · The hourly or project-based fee for contractor work
Similar words(4)
- freelancer · Usually self-employed and works for multiple clients; contractor may work exclusively for one company
- consultant · Provides expert advice and guidance; contractor performs defined work tasks
- vendor · Broader term; a contractor is a specific type of vendor providing labor
- temp worker · Similar temporary status, but temp workers are typically on a staffing agency payroll
Opposites(3)
- full-time employee
- permanent staff
- in-house team
Questions(5)
- What is the difference between a contractor and an employee?
- Contractors are temporary workers hired for specific projects or time periods, while employees are permanent staff. Contractors do not receive benefits like health insurance or paid leave, and they have defined end dates. They also typically have more flexibility in working hours and location.
- How do you use contractor in a workplace sentence?
- You can say: 'We hired a contractor to build the mobile app,' or 'The contractor will start next Monday.' You can also use it as an adjective: 'contractor rate,' 'contractor agreement,' or 'contractor team.'
- Is contractor a formal or informal word?
- Contractor is neutral and professional. It is used in formal business documents, meetings, and casual conversations equally. There is no informal alternative in professional tech settings.
- Can a contractor become a full-time employee?
- Yes, sometimes contractors are hired as full-time employees after their contract ends, especially if the work is successful. However, this requires a new employment agreement and different terms.
- What does independent contractor mean?
- An independent contractor is self-employed and works for themselves rather than for a contracting agency. They often work for multiple clients and manage their own taxes and benefits.
