Rant contract jobs

Chevel

Sorry I need to vent but I'm tired of contract jobs. I'm tired of the constant cycles of stress, depression and uncertainty. Started off as FT government LOVED the job, decent salary, excellent benefits, PTO. I was actually happy to get up in the morning! When the base closed I was a student ( High School) so I was not able to obtain the benefits of being transferred to a FT even though I had graduated a few months before the base closure.

From 2011 on out its been a string of dead end of contract jobs. I hate it. I try to be optimistic, positive, better myself by obtaining new certifications and learning things but its just too much. Mediocre pay, poor benefits, recruiter games not to mention being laid off twice, takes forever to find work, even when I do I still have to worry about the next year. Just recently I brought a house which I was trying to hold out for until I found something permanent but circumstances did not work out that way. Needless to say my current contract job is gone in September. I've moved up the IT ladder clinging onto hope that things would eventually get better but it hasn't. I've been studying on and off for the CISSP but I can't focus due to the stress. Then I wonder what's the point.......

Thanks for listening. If this is off topic material I apologize please feel free to move it.

NetworkingStudent

I feel ya. It feels like there are a lot of contract jobs in IT. I recently job interviewed at a big company that had some contract roles open. I asked if you can get hired on if you perform well, and they said they didn't know what their staffing needs will be in the future. The big bummer was this contract had no benefits.

It sounds like you have a Security background, have you tried going to your local ISSA chapter meetings?

You could network there and possibly find a full time security job.

Here is the link for their website. You will need to find a chapter that is close by.

Information Systems Security Association

alias454

OP, continue looking for full-time work while you are working your contract gig if you don't do that already. At some point, you will find a FT gig. Do you have any groups in your area where you can go and meet people? Another option is taking a lower tiered job to get a foot in the door with a more stable company. Once there, put in the work and raise through the ranks.

Good Luck.

gespenstern

No big deal actually. I think almost everybody has to go through this unless you are a superstar.

Just keep grinding, hard work eventually pays off.

Also, if you are in the US it may become a little better because of Trump cracking down on foreign labor.

phatrik

What alias454 said, sometimes you need to endure short term pain for the long term gain. Also word of advice (I've been screwed before) unless the job posting explicitly states temp-to-perm, never expect it. Even then, it should not only be listed in the job listing but also on the work agreement/job offer you sign before you start working there.


Have you considered taking appointments with some of the better known employment agencies in your area and talking with one of them? I'm not saying wait for someone to e-mail you for a job interview, I mean actually book an appointment, meet with someone and tell him you'd like his services to find you a full time job.

UnixGuy

It's hard but keep upskilling until you get that job you want. Get more high level certs, they really help

TheFORCE

When I started my career 10-11 years ago I took a FT contracting job. After than I went to a FT Helpdesk job. Ever since and every time i was looking for a job or was being approached by a recruiters telling me they had a contract job for me I always told them "I'm not imterested in contract jobs or contract to hire or consultant or anything that does not involve working directly for the hiring mamager" if you want to break the cycle, stop accepting contract jobs and tell everyone you want FT jobd. You might take a small hit at first, but you will recoup ot later on.

Welly_59

In the UK contract work is probably paid at 2/3 times the rate of a FT employee. The high rate of pay allied with flexibility is seen as a benefit to most and in fact lots of FT employees would love to go contracting.

Is it not the same in the USA?

Chevel

Thank guys, I never considered asking a recruiter to only forward me FT jobs only because my experience most of them are pretty much tell you what you want to hear. Including the one that forwarded me this position. I've been jerked around by them so much they pretty much left me bitter. If they are not offering me helpdesk jobs its consulting advice.......smh.

What groups are you guys talking about?

volfkhat

Welly_59 wrote: »

In the UK contract work is probably paid at 2/3 times the rate of a FT employee. The high rate of pay allied with flexibility is seen as a benefit to most and in fact lots of FT employees would love to go contracting.

Is it not the same in the USA?

Nope.
Contracting in the U.S. usually means that there is a "middleman" who is taking part of your pay;
so you can actually make Less than your full-time counterpart.

Also, some contractor-houses see you as Disposable assets; you are just a "body" (and they only care if/when you get complaints).

When the complaint comes... they can e Quick to Fire you (and replace you with another "body").

There is ZERO loyalty.


for the record:
I am talking about typical contracting; Not talking short-term Consulanting nor working for the US Defense (DoD) system (Security-clearances, etc).


With all that being said,
the "ZERO loyalty" works Both ways.
If you have the desired Skills/certs, then you can always find another "middleman" ready to exploit you.

This gives me the confidence to QUIT whenever i want (or whenever the work/life balance becomes too lopsided).
Plus, i like taking SUmmers off :]

TheFORCE

Chevel wrote: »

Thank guys, I never considered asking a recruiter to only forward me FT jobs only because my experience most of them are pretty much tell you what you want to hear. Including the one that forwarded me this position. I've been jerked around by them so much they pretty much left me bitter. If they are not offering me helpdesk jobs its consulting advice.......smh.

What groups are you guys talking about?

Search on LinkedIn for companies that have offices close to your area or companies that you want to work for then follow them and add them so that you can get their feeds. Contact recruiters that have FT positions or ask for your contractor recruiter to connect you with the person that deals with FT recruiting. Reach out to those FT recruiters on your own and get in the mindset to work FT job.

scaredoftests

I hear you! I have been in some rotten contract positions (one a sub, sub contractor), which SUCKED.

gespenstern

Welly_59 wrote: »

In the UK contract work is probably paid at 2/3 times the rate of a FT employee. The high rate of pay allied with flexibility is seen as a benefit to most and in fact lots of FT employees would love to go contracting.

Is it not the same in the USA?

Actually yes... It just depends on where you are skill-wise. In the US contracting is prevalent on low-skill type of market (helpdesk, etc) because businesses don't want to deal with the hassle of FTE if they aren't sure that this position is for at least several years to come, and this could be problematic as the pay is relatively low ($$15-30/hour) and health bennies are non-existent or totally suck, in the middle people tend to look for FTEs (bennies, bonuses, stability) and at the top it's back to lucrative contracting again, that's where it's paid 1.5-2 times more than you would get as an FTE on the same position.

Chevel

TheFORCE wrote: »

Search on LinkedIn for companies that have offices close to your area or companies that you want to work for then follow them and add them so that you can get their feeds. Contact recruiters that have FT positions or ask for your contractor recruiter to connect you with the person that deals with FT recruiting. Reach out to those FT recruiters on your own and get in the mindset to work FT job.

This is good advice I asked my contract manager but he says he has nothing coming up but he would allow us to be used as a reference. Same with a few others in the area. :-/

@volfkhat DoD is no different, worked as a federal contractor for the past 6 years same nonsense. There's some good contracts needless to say they don't last long.

Blackout

Chevel wrote: »

Sorry I need to vent but I'm tired of contract jobs. I'm tired of the constant cycles of stress, depression and uncertainty. Started off as FT government LOVED the job, decent salary, excellent benefits, PTO. I was actually happy to get up in the morning! When the base closed I was a student ( High School) so I was not able to obtain the benefits of being transferred to a FT even though I had graduated a few months before the base closure.

From 2011 on out its been a string of dead end of contract jobs. I hate it. I try to be optimistic, positive, better myself by obtaining new certifications and learning things but its just too much. Mediocre pay, poor benefits, recruiter games not to mention being laid off twice, takes forever to find work, even when I do I still have to worry about the next year. Just recently I brought a house which I was trying to hold out for until I found something permanent but circumstances did not work out that way. Needless to say my current contract job is gone in September. I've moved up the IT ladder clinging onto hope that things would eventually get better but it hasn't. I've been studying on and off for the CISSP but I can't focus due to the stress. Then I wonder what's the point.......

Thanks for listening. If this is off topic material I apologize please feel free to move it.

Took about 5 years for me of contracting before I finally landed a great FTE role, and honestly I don't hate those times because it is what refined me into the engineer I am. Now there is a specific company I will no longer entertain offers from or consider working for again, but the feeling is kind of bittersweet. Even though my contracts didn't work out eventually there was a silver lining.

mikey88

I actually had the best times when I was contracting. Generally, it is less stressful as you are only there to do one job like a migration etc. You don't partake in the office politics and depending on the gig, per diem and paid travel expenses are nice.

Blackout

mikey88 wrote: »

I actually had the best times when I was contracting. Generally, it is less stressful as you are only there to do one job like a migration etc. You don't partake in the office politics and depending on the gig, per diem and paid travel expenses are nice.

If I was single it would have been perfect, but I was paying 1K a month for health insurance for my wife and son.

bigdogz

Normally in contracting positions, you are paid up to 2x the salary but you may not receive any benefits. You may need to keep looking for new contract positions to move up and gain experience which makes you more marketable.

no!all!

Keep your head up, OP! I was a contractor for 4.5 years before before I got hired full time, and when I did get hired it was about $22k more than what I was making as a contractor

greg9891

no!all! wrote: »

Keep your head up, OP! I was a contractor for 4.5 years before before I got hired full time, and when I did get hired it was about $22k more than what I was making as a contractor

Nice thats what I call bouncing back.

Chevel

Must be doing something wrong year 6 going on 7...... I can say I've received experience from being a contractor but its a double edge sword. Restricted from learning new skills and participating in new projects due to contract complications. Or if you can participate you are the first to be thrown under. Seen it happen in person to many times.

Remedymp

In the next few years, all IT jobs will eventually become C2H.