Re: Contracting/Temping - a viable alternate in tough times
Obviously, many folks have never worked as agency contractors and have no present intention of working as one. For them, reading this thread may be a waste of time and energy.
For many others, though, the realization that "Knowledge is Power!" keeps them reading because employment is so uncertain in these economic times, we never know when we may NEED that temp job to keep making mortgage and car payments and putting food on the table. Better to learn about it now in an unharried, unstressed atmosphere than when one's whole life is collapsing following a job loss because some factory six states away found a way to do your factory's production at half the cost.
Many consultants (my definition above in post #1) find that they have to eke out income between consulting jobs by working as a contractor for an agency. That doesn't make them bad consultants, it makes them practical. In my world, I've never found a way to eat pride. Money seems to be as necessary as oxygen for survival.
There is no shame, either, in filling in gaps between full-time employment on one's resume with stints of agency contract work.
One benefit Hunter (from Geoff's post) points out for the contractor worker is the opportunity to hone skills and garner experience in different work environments - all of which may add value to that worker when considered by a full-time employer.
FULL-TIME VERSUS PART-TIME OR TEMPORARY:
I want to clarify I see no stigma to being a contract worker, part-timer, or temporary worker versus being a full-time worker. It is important, though, that someone switching from contract work to full-time work be able to connect the dots for a prospective full-time employer just how the contract work enhanced one's value for the prospective full-time employer if he hires the former contract worker.
No.
No.
No comment, since my answer was no.
Equal to.
No.
N/A
Is it really worth it.
No.
No comment, since my answer was no.
Equal to.
No.
N/A
Is it really worth it.
For many others, though, the realization that "Knowledge is Power!" keeps them reading because employment is so uncertain in these economic times, we never know when we may NEED that temp job to keep making mortgage and car payments and putting food on the table. Better to learn about it now in an unharried, unstressed atmosphere than when one's whole life is collapsing following a job loss because some factory six states away found a way to do your factory's production at half the cost.
Many consultants (my definition above in post #1) find that they have to eke out income between consulting jobs by working as a contractor for an agency. That doesn't make them bad consultants, it makes them practical. In my world, I've never found a way to eat pride. Money seems to be as necessary as oxygen for survival.
There is no shame, either, in filling in gaps between full-time employment on one's resume with stints of agency contract work.
One benefit Hunter (from Geoff's post) points out for the contractor worker is the opportunity to hone skills and garner experience in different work environments - all of which may add value to that worker when considered by a full-time employer.
FULL-TIME VERSUS PART-TIME OR TEMPORARY:
I want to clarify I see no stigma to being a contract worker, part-timer, or temporary worker versus being a full-time worker. It is important, though, that someone switching from contract work to full-time work be able to connect the dots for a prospective full-time employer just how the contract work enhanced one's value for the prospective full-time employer if he hires the former contract worker.