| Why do you think you need a direct hire in order | | | | it, then once the assignment is over, you can |
| to make a living? It seems that 99% of 'direct | | | | eliminate 'design' from your checklist and move on |
| hire' job seekers are looking for security above | | | | to the next discipline.The Joys of Contract |
| everything else. But the truth of the matter is | | | | WorkThere are so many perks to working |
| that over the past 2-3 years the bulk of | | | | contract it's almost hard to address them all! Here |
| companies in America experienced a slowdown | | | | is a small sample: |
| and were forced to layoff both contract | | | | -New companies/industries year after year |
| employees as well as direct employees; but when | | | | -You set your pay raises (but you still have to |
| things started coming back around in 2004, guess | | | | be realistic!) |
| who those same companies hired back first....the | | | | -Seeing different parts of the world (if you |
| contractors!Contract hire work is often times a | | | | choose to be a National Contractor) |
| different line item on a company's budget than a | | | | -Building a network of dozens of hiring managers |
| direct hire employee. Companies can hire | | | | and recruiters |
| contractors without having to pay their benefits, | | | | -Reference letters! Everyone loves people saying |
| unemployment insurance, holiday & vacation pay, | | | | nice things about them, why not have a big |
| (usually the recruiting firm pays for these items) | | | | collection of them! |
| or match their 401k plan. This makes hiring | | | | -If you travel to get to a company's location: Per |
| contractors a relatively easy and painless task for | | | | Diem! Ask virtually any direct employee what kind |
| a company going through a slowdown. The | | | | of living expense he/she gets for working at the |
| projects/work might not be as plentiful, but they | | | | same company! |
| still need employees in order to do it!Have you | | | | -Meeting new people and working in new teams! |
| ever been with a company as a direct hire and | | | | -Try before you buy! If your ideal situation is to |
| fantasize about NOT working for that company? | | | | become a direct hire at the company, now you |
| The road ahead looks grim and job hunting is | | | | can date the company before marrying it! |
| tough to do while you are trapped in a cube 8 | | | | -Overtime! Most contractors are hired on an |
| hours a day. But you have security there, right? | | | | hourly basis. You work 45 hours in a week; you |
| You get a raise once a year, as long as the | | | | get paid for 40 hours regular and 5 overtime. Ask |
| economy is strong. As a contractor you only | | | | most direct hires what they get paid when they |
| have to stay for your project/assignment and | | | | work 45 hours a week!How Do I start?Some |
| then you are free to go (or if another project | | | | folks think that you have to be a big risk taker in |
| comes up internally, they might ask you to stay), | | | | order to be a contractor. What I actually see is |
| then on to the next gig for a more attractive | | | | people who aren't necessarily risk takers at all, |
| price!Or, on the other hand, I can think of | | | | rather people who stay on top of a small |
| countless times where a company has hired on a | | | | database of recruiters and consistently contact |
| contractor through me, and they were such a | | | | them with updates. I have worked with plenty of |
| good match, at the end of the contract they | | | | contractors who aren't even looking for a new |
| hired the contractor on direct with a raise and all! | | | | gig, but stay in touch with me on a weekly or |
| You can't win if you don't play. In fact, there are | | | | biweekly basis. They update me on the status of |
| some companies that ONLY hire certain disciplines | | | | their current project, whether the company they |
| on a contract basis before making any sort of | | | | are with is hiring or laying-off and any new |
| long-term commitment. Am I talking about a | | | | updates they want to add to their resume (or |
| 'contract to direct' or 'temp to permanent' | | | | my database). The whole call lasts 3 minutes, but |
| placement? No, they are open-ended contract | | | | one thing about contracting it is a contact |
| positions with no long-term commitment."I don't | | | | sport-the more people you contact, the better |
| want my resume to look like I am a job hopper!" | | | | you do.I would recommend working with 3-5 |
| That's exactly what it will look like if you try to | | | | different recruiters; provide them with your |
| play 'Contractor' with direct hire positions. A | | | | resume, cover letter, and 2-3 professional |
| contractor's resume may or may not even have | | | | references. Call or email them on a weekly or |
| dates on it. Companies usually don't care how long | | | | biweekly basis and let them know that you are in |
| a contractor was at his/her last position. But if | | | | fact excited about short or long-term |
| you show a Hiring Manager your Direct Hire | | | | assignments.SummaryI couldn't even tell you the |
| resume and it has 10 different companies on it in | | | | number of Contractors I know that wouldn't |
| a 3 year period, what would make the Manager | | | | trade their career for anything. Some of these |
| think you were going to stay put at their | | | | people have traveled literally all across the globe |
| company?ExperiencePersonally, I would rather | | | | on different assignments, while others choose to |
| take a 1-year contract position with a certain | | | | stay local. Contract work is a great way to |
| Minneapolis-based medical giant than a direct hire | | | | expand your comfort zone, work in a variety of |
| position with Bob's Medical Device Company. This | | | | industries, and meet lots of new people. Not to |
| particular medical giant is a highly acclaimed | | | | mention it's a great way to control your own |
| company recognized throughout the world and | | | | career, set your own pay rates, and plan your |
| the experience I would gain there is more than | | | | own vacations! Who wouldn't want this?Dale |
| likely hand-over-fist more valuable than any direct | | | | Robert is a MicroBusiness Coach, Career Coach, |
| position elsewhere.Contracting is especially good | | | | and Speaker/Seminar Leader. Dale has worked in |
| for Junior level candidates who don't really know | | | | the Staffing Industry, primarily in the medical |
| what their niche is yet. If you are a Jr. level | | | | device field in Minneapolis, for 6 years. He is also a |
| Mechanical Engineer but you don't know if you | | | | Competent Toastmaster, and the Vice President |
| want to do design work, project management, | | | | of a Toastmasters club in the Minneapolis, MN |
| engineering sales, or whatever else, contracting is | | | | area. He is currently rolling out a 'Consultant |
| a great way to figure out your calling. If you start | | | | Business Start-up Coaching Package', which helps |
| out on contract doing design work and you hate | | | | Would-Be Consultants get started in business! |