In today’s economy, coming back from a major hit, many
companies are struggling to make ends meet. One of the ways that they have
found to save some money is to bring on contractors in lieu of permanent
employees. By doing so, they save on insurance and benefits costs, while
increasing flexibility when it comes to extra help for projects. Because of
this increasing trend, contracting jobs are becoming easier to find than
permanent positions and those in permanent positions are being frequently
recruited for contract roles. I myself have reached out to many candidates in
permanent positions and I am always greeted with the same question, “Why should I
leave my permanent job for a contract position?” Well, I have several great
reasons why contract jobs may be BETTER than permanent ones.
They are becoming more commonplace. I know I
mentioned this previously, but it’s an important point. Looking for jobs is not
an easy feat and finding one that fits your skillset and requirements narrows
the search even more. Contract jobs are becoming more and more common, and for
perfectly stable companies. The state government uses contractors frequently,
as do national and multi-national companies. If you are open to contract
opportunities, your job options expand significantly and your options are much
more varied - which leads me to my next point.
You can direct your own career. With contract
jobs, you have the opportunity to pick and choose which projects you’d like to
work on. You can just choose positions that will challenge you to learn new
skills or move your career in a new direction. Contractors usually have a wider
range of skills – they aren’t stuck doing the same thing over and over again
and they have more opportunities to vary their projects and therefore their
skillsets. This makes them more marketable to a wider range of companies. Contract
roles also allow for a “try before you buy” approach – for both parties.
Employers have time to determine whether an employee is the best fit for the
position. And the contractor has the ability to get the inside scoop. Some
companies seem to offer a great work environment, advancement opportunities,
etc., but it’s a totally different story from the inside. It should be a good fit for both employer and
employee and contracts allow for that test drive period. Also with designing
your own career comes the added benefit of a larger professional network and
one geared more towards your professional end goals.
You can earn more money. Because of the
contractual nature of these positions, and the expertise required, often
companies can offer a significantly higher pay rate. And I know that many
people who become contractors have to
navigate enrolling in private insurance themselves without the discounts of a
group policy, but DataStaff employees enjoy a competitive benefits
package that includes paid holiday, vacation, and sick leave as well as
medical, dental and vision coverage. As many of our projects are long-term, we
also enabled employees to participate in a matching contribution (4%) 401k plan
as well. So finding a staffing agency that supports you is important. Another
bonus for contract employees, especially in the IT Industry, is overtime pay.
The Fair Standards Labor Act (FLSA) defines Computer Professionals as exempt
employees. Since most permanent positions compensate on a salaried basis, it is
not required for companies to pay them for hours worked beyond 40 hours.
However, in demanding project environments, it is commonplace to work long hours.
Contract employees are compensated for each hour worked.
Now I know that the length of contracts can be a little
discouraging. I find that the most common lengths are 6 months and 12 months.
Often, these are set that way because of purchase orders, especially on
government projects. The project could be set to last a couple of years, but
they have to apply for the funding in pieces. During an interview, you should
talk with the hiring manager about the project and its goals – you’ll get a
better idea for how long you’ll really be needed.
- Katie Berryann, Technical Recruiter
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