Accept Contract position over waiting for the end of interview process of permanent.

Hello All,

Question: Never done contract work before, I received an offer letter to do a contract work for an Entertainment company. The contract is 18 months.

However, I am waiting for a feedback from another position from a gaming company, where I passed the first 4 interview process and I am going to the last interview next week.

The gaming company is my higher priority.

Do you think I can accept the offer for the contract work now, then if I get an offer from the gaming company I can just break the contract and go for it without any "penalties" ?

I am in the situation where I do not want to risk a position with another where the other is 90% secured but not 100%

Thank you! Help!

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EANx

A lot depends on the type of contract and everything depends on the wording of the agreement. There are two broad types of IT labor contracts 1) Where you contract directly with the company just like you would hire a handyman at home. 2) Where you work for a contracting company who employs you and then turns around and resells your labor to the company in question. Any sort of agreement would potentially stipulate penalties but they are typically only found with the first type. The second type normally can't restrict your ability to find work (restraint-of-trade) or to leave employment (indentured servitude). One thing to watch out for would be a non-compete. Depending on the state, they might ask you to sign an agreement not to work for a company in the same industry for X months, which given the closeness of the two types of companies could be a sticking point.

beads

Contracting is the bane of the industry, at the moment but doubt it will change any time soon.

The best you can do is hold off on accepting either contract for more than say 48 hours or you will appear to be doing exactly what it sounds - waiting for a potentially better offer. Sometimes timing is everything but since this is a contract position, either way, its not written in stone. So keep that in mind when accepting. On contract the company really holds all rights to employment and you... well have next to nothing but your own labor.

The reason for all the contracting in IT is based on the perception that IT people aren't really all that good or qualified to do IT work. Cap Gemini has a nice white paper on the subject that would curl your hair to read.

Good luck. Try not to push one off to long over another - particularly with contracts.

- b/eads

masdrobeda

Great explanation!!!

Well the contract work is via a recruiting company, such as Jobspring or Beacon Hill staffing. I will be under the staffing company payroll (W2).

The state is in California.

I did not see anything related to early contract termination in the paperwork.

Is it a good ideia to just ask them: “if I have to leave before the contract is over for some reason, there is any restrictions to that ?”

Is it ok to ask that before signing everything ?

Thanks

Paycheck

I've done IT contracting in support roles for several years and I hate it. I'm treated like a subhuman, I usually don't get paid holidays, I'm usually not invited to EMPLOYEE events, and in most cases I can do the job better than the employees. But because I am a contractor, nope.

And length of time in a contract job is meaningless. I don't care if they list it as one week, one year, or 5 years. As soon as some manager wans to save money or has a friend who needs a job, you're out.

Blucodex

Paycheck wrote: »

And length of time in a contract job is meaningless. I don't care if they list it as one week, one year, or 5 years. As soon as some manager wans to save money or has a friend who needs a job, you're out.

Yup.

Accept the contract work and if your gaming company job comes through take it.

Mooseboost

If I recall, California is an at-will state. That means that the employer or the employee may terminate employment at any time with or without notice. Contracts here in NC are not really enforceable because we are at-will.

TechGromit

Blucodex wrote: »

Accept the contract work and if your gaming company job comes through take it.

I concur, this is you best move. I wouldn't even tell the staffing agency about possibility of getting another job. If your dream job comes through, just quit, many people would feel bad leaving the contracting company on short notice, just remember they would get rid of you just as quickly for any reason as well. When your a working as a contractor, think as yourself as a mercenary, instead of an employee.

masdrobeda

Exactly what the plan is after some feedback here. Thanks man

JoJoCal19

Here is what you do, as b/eads said, ask for some time to think about it (48 hours). Tell them you've never done contracting work before and just want to make sure you've thought through everything before committing. Ask if it's ok to take a day or two. When you do accept, you should have a two-week notice correct? It's not as bad to accept then end up declining if you're still within that two week period and haven't actually started yet. It's better to do that then rather than after you've been onboarded and started working. The other job should be wrapped up with interviewing and an offer well before the two week period ended. As well, let the dream job know you've got another offer in hand. That usually lights a fire under recruitments butt to move faster and push things on their end. At least if that offer comes through in the next two weeks and you let the contract know that you've changed your mind, they probably have another candidate they can contact as a backup.

Blucodex

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

Here is what you do, as b/eads said, ask for some time to think about it (48 hours). Tell them you've never done contracting work before and just want to make sure you've thought through everything before committing. Ask if it's ok to take a day or two. When you do accept, you should have a two-week notice correct? It's not as bad to accept then end up declining if you're still within that two week period and haven't actually started yet. It's better to do that then rather than after you've been onboarded and started working. The other job should be wrapped up with interviewing and an offer well before the two week period ended. As well, let the dream job know you've got another offer in hand. That usually lights a fire under recruitments butt to move faster and push things on their end. At least if that offer comes through in the next two weeks and you let the contract know that you've changed your mind, they probably have another candidate they can contact as a backup.

If your dream job comes through, I would ask them how they would feel about starting early if your contractor **** you when you put in your weeks. Unless missing two weeks of pay isn't an issue for you.

DatabaseHead

Where I work the contractors are treated better than the employees

Basic85

Really? Where I use to work, contractors were treated like 2nd class citizens above employees than customers.

DatabaseHead

Usually that's been my experience as well, this is first. Very strange and most certainly not the norm....

JoJoCal19

Blucodex wrote: »

If your dream job comes through, I would ask them how they would feel about starting early if your contractor **** you when you put in your weeks. Unless missing two weeks of pay isn't an issue for you.

If you're talking about my scenario, check it again. He wouldn't have started his contract gig yet. Right now he has an offer from the contract gig. If he accepts the offer he wouldn't start for two weeks (two week notice to his current employer). That gives two weeks for the dream job to do his final interview and potentially offer. He can also advise them he has an offer in hand and they generally would expedite things anyways. So he finishes his final interview for the dream job during the two weeks prior to starting the contract gig. If he gets an offer, lets the contract gig know that he actually will not be moving forward (for whatever reason). Instead let the dream job know you can start when your two week notice at the old job would have ended. If he doesn't make the cut at the dream job, he still starts the new contract gig. Win/win scenario for him.

Blucodex

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

If you're talking about my scenario, check it again.

Just talking in general--not necessarily the scenario you presented. Should have differentiated.

JoJoCal19

Blucodex wrote: »

Just talking in general--not necessarily the scenario you presented. Should have differentiated.

It's all good! I definitely wouldn't recommend trying to do a two week notice at a job you just started. If you got an offer right after starting another job, then I'd be prepared to start that new job the next day (hopefully the new employer is good with an immediate start). Thankfully I've always worked things out to not be in that position. When I accept a new job, it's because it's one that I really want and I'm not accepting another offer.