Sterling Engineering offers talented professionals a choice of employment opportunities ranging from contract to contract-to-hire to direct hire. Regardless of your preference, we will go the distance to provide opportunities that match your qualifications and help you achieve your career objectives. 

Contract
Although many people think of contract employment as a series of short-term assignments or as a bridge between fulltime jobs, or a series of short-term assignments, Sterling has a different perspective. We consider contractors to be employees in every sense of the word, and afford them the same respect, encouragement, benefits and career development opportunities we give our internal staff.

This unique philosophy has resulted in many “contract” employees who have built life long careers at Sterling spanning more than 30 years. Some employees start out on two-week engagements that are continually extended, while others work on multiple, consecutive contracts at a variety of customer sites. In the words of Sterling Engineering Founder, Dan Casey, “We do not hire temporary employees; we hire long-term employees to work on temporary assignments.”

Working with Sterling on a contract basis is an ideal choice for many technical and engineering professionals, such as:

• Individuals who want to apply their skills and abilities at a variety of companies
• Motivated performers who seek the “next step” in their careers
• Seasoned professionals looking for short-term assignments prior to retirement
• Early retirees that want to continue working, but on a schedule that works for them
• Junior-level professionals seeking to obtain practical experience or to use this as an opportunity to identify which engineering area they would like to specialize in

Sterling is considered an employer of choice because our employees have:

• Access to a variety of challenging and rewarding assignments at leading companies
• Competitive pay rates and the same benefit package as our full-time employees
• The security that comes with working for a stable and well-respected company

Contract-to-Hire
If you prefer full-time employment but are wary of taking a job without knowing exactly what it entails, the contract-to-hire route is a perfect option. Sterling’s contract-to-hire opportunities allow individuals to accept a position at a company on a temporary basis prior to being hired as a full-time employee. This arrangement allows both employees and clients to better assess the job opportunity before making long-term commitment.

During the contract portion of the engagement, which usually lasts three to six months, you:

• Have the opportunity to assess the job, the company and the environment, and determine whether they will accept the position on a full-time basis if offered at the end of the “trial period”
• Are an employee of Sterling, with full access to our comprehensive benefit plan
• Receive ongoing communication and support from a Sterling representative to ensure the assignment is proceeding smoothly

Once the hiring decision is made, Sterling will help you seamlessly transition into the full-time position and remain in contact to ensure all parties are satisfied.

Direct Hire
When you enlist Sterling for assistance in your direct placement search, you’ll work with an industry-experienced and professional team of recruiters invested in your success. By virtue of Sterling’s long-term relationships with many leading companies in the Chicago region, you’ll have access to a wide variety of opportunities, including desirable positions that may not be advertised elsewhere.

Our direct hire recruiters will invest time learning about you: your background, experience, skills, credentials and work style preferences, as well as what you want most in a job and what your career aspirations are. We will then work diligently to identify positions that best match your qualifications and goals.

Sterling plays an active role as your career agent throughout the recruitment and engagement process. We will work directly with the client on your behalf, and guide you through each step of the hiring process from providing detailed information about the opportunity, helping enhance your resume, and assisting in interview preparation to facilitating the offer, acceptance and onboarding processes.

If this type of assignment appeals to you: