Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a direct-hire executive, and able to leap big projects in a single bound, it's the Supertemp!

That is the term that the Harvard Business Review used in its recent article, "The Rise of the Supertemp," to refer to a growing group of executives who are trading long hours and stiff suits for more flexible, project-based contract work. By working as consultants on a contract basis, these "Supertemps" have been able to:

• Spend more time with family.
• Take a month or two off to travel.
• Skip time-wasting corporate meetings.
• Have more "fun" by helping other executives succeed.
• Choose what they want to work on and the people with whom they want to work.
• Free themselves from administrative tasks.

Of course, most companies are more than happy to accommodate executives who prefer temporary, contract work because it helps them stay lean and save money since they don't have to contribute to plush executive benefits packages. But that leads to a problem: executives who would like to go independent but can't get affordable healthcare. As a recruiter, though, you can help solve this problem by placing these contractors and then outsourcing their employment to a contract staffing back-office, such as Top Echelon Contracting, that can provide benefits.

The opportunity is definitely there for recruiters who are willing to delve into this niche. According to the article, this trend, often know as "Executive Temping" is getting so big that some recruiting/staffing firms are focusing exclusively on placing executives as contractors.

Could you be successful at placing Supertemps? Well, if you have clients that need high-level talent and executive candidates who are seeking more flexibility, it may be something worth looking into!

Debbie Fledderjohann is the President of Top Echelon Contracting, Inc.