Would you chose a contract job

azi90

Hi,
Do you guys prefer contract IT role 6 mo-1 year or permanent roles with lower salaries? I am offered a contract role with possibility of extension or perm with double my current salary. Should i go for it.

EANx

What are the benefits like? What are the benefits you care abut vs. the ones you don't? A young single person might care only about thee raw dollars while someone with a bit of experience might care about 401k contribution and student loan reimbursement while someone else might care if the job offers a real pension.

Can't answer the question without more info about the perm job.

azi90

the only thing i am afraid of is job security and possible sick leave for any reason

Otherwise any health benefit i want can be obtained using extended health insurance plan. Plus we OHIP coverage anyways for Drs visit in Canada. So no probs there.

I am married but no kids.

mikey88

azi90 wrote: »

the only thing i am afraid of is job security

There is always some risk involved with taking on any position. I was in a similar boat when I accepted a 6mo contract role coming from a full time salaried position. The pay was way better, but no benefits.

It was not a problem for me, because I was mostly going after the experience the position would provide for my career. I'm also in my late twenties and single.

I probably wouldn't do it if it's just for a bigger paycheck with no job stability.

alan2308

azi90 wrote: »

the only thing i am afraid of is job security

Then you might not want to be looking at a contract position if that takes you that far outside of your comfort zone. Sure you'll get a higher salary, but how much is that really worth if you can't find something else right away once that contract is up? I'll only consider a contract if the pay rate is significantly higher enough that I'll be able to save back a couple months salary over the life of the contract for just in case.

TechGromit

azi90 wrote: »

Hi,
Do you guys prefer contract IT role 6 mo-1 year or permanent roles with lower salaries? I am offered a contract role with possibility of extension or perm with double my current salary. Should i go for it.

Just so you know, the contract to perm bait is often used to make a job sound more attractive to candidates by staffing agencies. The conversion rate is somewhere in the 25% range. Also remember, if they make you full time, it's unlikely you'll still get the contract rate you were getting as a contractor. As for, would I take a contract job that pays significantly more, it really all depends on the economy. The job market is great right now and I would expect it to remain good for the next 6 months, so your downside isn't bad if the job only last 6 months, you can easily get another job. When the economy is bad or iffy, I would prefer a full time job, I don't want the contract to end and not be able to find something else for months afterwards. One last piece of advise, set a time limit / deadline when they can make you full time. Some staffing agencies and employers will just keep extending the contract another 6 months, over and over, stringing you along. If you really want full time, I would tell them straight up when they came to you to offer you an extension, either hire me at the end of my 6 month contract or I'm done. You don't want them to extend your contract over and over till the economy turns to crap and they let you go to cut costs and you can't find another job then.

There will be some that claim that full time jobs are no more secure then contracting jobs. But my experience has been 9 times out of 10, when a company is looking to cut expenses, it's the contractors are the first to go.

azi90

alan2308 wrote: »

Then you might not want to be looking at a contract position if that takes you that far outside of your comfort zone. Sure you'll get a higher salary, but how much is that really worth if you can't find something else right away once that contract is up? I'll only consider a contract if the pay rate is significantly higher enough that I'll be able to save back a couple months salary over the life of the contract for just in case.

I will be making double the current salary. I can possibly save enough to sit home and eat for another 3 months.

azi90

TechGromit wrote: »

Just so you know, the contract to perm bait is often used to make a job sound more attractive to candidates by staffing agencies. The conversion rate is somewhere in the 25% range. Also remember, if they make you full time, it's unlikely you'll still get the contract rate you were getting as a contractor. As for, would I take a contract job that pays significantly more, it really all depends on the economy. The job market is great right now and I would expect it to remain good for the next 6 months, so your downside isn't bad if the job only last 6 months, you can easily get another job. When the economy is bad or iffy, I would prefer a full time job, I don't want the contract to end and not be able to find something else for months afterwards. One last piece of advise, set a time limit / deadline when they can make you full time. Some staffing agencies and employers will just keep extending the contract another 6 months, over and over, stringing you along. If you really want full time, I would tell them straight up when they came to you to offer you an extension, either hire me at the end of my 6 month contract or I'm done. You don't want them to extend your contract over and over till the economy turns to crap and they let you go to cut costs and you can't find another job then.

There will be some that claim that full time jobs are no more secure then contracting jobs. But my experience has been 9 times out of 10, when a company is looking to cut expenses, it's the contractors are the first to go.

I agree however i have brought up this question during the interview. and they mentioned it was a FT role where the employee left. And we wanted to start off as a contractor and see if things are right turn it into perm role. They mentioned chances are highly they will convert