Oh man, I leave and come back a new...something

[MiracleManS]

So, I know I don't hang out around these parts much, but plenty of you have been helpful in my never ending search for gainful employ.

That said, the wait is now over, I have managed to grab a job at a local ASP.Net development company in Frederick, MD. The majority of the work they do is for the government, so it should be interesting. I know very little about ASP.Net or anything about the .Net architecture, but the folks at the company said they were willing to train me because I showed an interest in learning and bettering myself.

So, while I might have been living off my girlfriend (without working) for ages, I've joined the working masses.

Hopefully I'll have more time to hang out here now that I'm done applying to 3 jobs a day for a while.

That ends the primary reason for me bringing this up, the secondary reason is I'm totally unfamiliar with contract work. I'll be working through a staffing agency who is contracting me out as "Contract to hire". Basically they're telling me they pay me while the other company waits for more opportunity to bring me on. I was told they have every interest in bringing me on and that they see themselves in an area of steady growth. My real concern is, how likely am I to get screwed over? I need the work, and any amount of work, even if just one projects worth, is bound to look great on a resume. I just hate the idea of refreshing this little job search after a month or two.

[GHoosdum]

A lot of times the "contract to hire" positions work out really well.

I think you're highly unlikely to get screwed over by this. The only negative might be if the company just doesn't have the budget capacity for a permanent position, you could end up back in the search. However, you're exactly correct that this experience will at the very least look good on your resume.

Congrats on finding a job!

[RADA]

I worked contracts for IBM, Honeywell, and Raytheon Missle Systems while living in Tucson from 2000 - 2006.

Pros:

Better pay - Usually you get more per hour under contract work.

No company politcal BS/Butt kissing

Hours more flexible (Usually)

Cons:

Healthcare/401K/other benefits not as good (Usually) I was making $32/hr, but my healthcare was crazy expensive ($460 month or -$2.875/hr) while I was contracted out to Raytheon. The 401K was only matched .25c on the dollar, up to the 1st $5 contributed. My last company matched .50c on the dollar to the 1st $13...

You can be a peon, company employees usually look down their noses at you. (Raytheon Engineers were notorious for this). Most company functions overlook contractors, unless they specifically mention you..

You sometimes get forced into a "Work when we say, or don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out". I worked over a year at a IBM R&D lab, doing 10:30pm to 6:00am shifts.. As a single guy it was OK, but in a relationship, or a family, this would suck...

[Nomad]

Contract work can be lucrative in my experience--usually they are hiring out because they can't find anyone capable or are shorthanded--but the hours you work might vary a lot.

[Lincoln]

Agree with most of the above. My dad is with a contractor for PennDOT (doing web apps in Java among other things). It has its pros and cons but it works out and it has never been less steady than working directly for a company. He's been doing it for something like 5 years now (I think - could be longer).

[LIN]

Congrats, and best of luck to you.


LIN

[MiracleManS]

Thanks for the encouragement and responses. I know I should have steady work for at least 2 months, as they're bringing me on for a specific project that they just signed a contract to complete. After that who knows, but I'm glad people have had enough experience to at least let me know the ups and downs. I appreciate it.

[RADA]

Thanks for the encouragement and responses. I know I should have steady work for at least 2 months, as they're bringing me on for a specific project that they just signed a contract to complete. After that who knows, but I'm glad people have had enough experience to at least let me know the ups and downs. I appreciate it.

Be very money wise while you're working. While working at IBM, I saw what was happening with the market well before the dot com bubble actually burst. Because of my foresight, I was able to squirrel away a significant portion of my bi-weekly checks, while I put feelers out for job opportunities. When I got laid off, I had enough in the bank and investments to live (albeit more megerly) doing part time work & going to school.

Try to put 100% effort into being financially prepared for your job to evaporate at any time. As a contractor, you can be let go at any time, with little or no notice. This was the CON I kept forgetting to add to my 1st thread.. In current economic times I guess this is good advice for all...

[SweetDragon]

My husband is also looking for a job but we are in Florida. My friend Robert was telling us how he started as a contract worker at SCC they liked him a lot but it took them a year before they could hire him full time and when they did, they greatly bumped his pay and it was a great job for 5 years. Good luck maybe this will work out great for you. Don't worry if it takes a while to be signed on.

You might want to find out if it is free lance contract work. I work as a glorified tour guide and I am free lance. That means they only call when they need me. The good part is that when I do work I make a lot of money the bad part is that I don't get a regular check. I can go months with out any work and then work 40 days straight. So you might want to feel them out and see if after this project when they will have another and if they will need you for it.

I do agree be careful with the money coming in and don't stop looking until you have something guaranteed. The economy is still in a down ward spiral.