Why Contracting?

Advantages

Working as a Contractor offers a number of benefits including:

Rates:
Due to the relatively short term nature of the position, Contractors will be paid a premium rate. A Contractor's pay is often set by a project management team who are aware of hefty penalties they might face if their project is not completed in time. In addition, Contractors are paid for every hour they work a result in most instances being overtime opportunities.

Work and Skills Variety:
Working as a contractor creates the ability to work in range of different industries and company structures. Also, working in variety of contract positions is an excellent way to learn and build a unique skill sets. This will not only enhance the Contractor's CV but will allow a greater range of opportunities in different marketplaces.
Contractors are commonly used a resource in many industries, particularly Information Technology, Engineering and Construction. Temporary workers are used in all areas of business.

Notice Period:
Contractors are not normally tied to the same period of notice as permanent staff. Permanent staff normally have to give at least a month's notice whereas Contractors have the freedom to move around more quickly. Commonly Contractors or Temps move at a weeks notice, but this depends on the needs of each project and the agreement made with the client.

Disadvantages

Contracting is not for everyone and there are some disadvantages to consider before deciding to commit to contracting:

Location:
Often contractors need to be prepared to travel in order to get the best rates and the most interesting contract so it is not always ideal for those with family ties. It sometimes involves working away from home for prolong periods.

Training:
Some organisations can be unwilling to train temporary staff. This can mean Contractors have to fund their own training and are responsible for maintaining their own accreditations, where applicable.

Keeping in work:
For the majority of Contractors it is important that there is good contract continuity. Inspried recruitment can help you with this because we have a large portfolio of clients whose requirements, while project based, are ongoing and also require a wide range of diverse skills and experience. As such we have a constant supply of medium to long term contract based assignments to suit a vast range of technical skills and experience.

Conclusion:
Contracting is not for everyone. However those who do choose to contract generally enjoy the varied work, the flexibility and the aspect of meeting new people that it offers them on a daily and weekly basis. Also the prospect of working for themselves and being able to choose when and where they want to work has advantages over the constraints of permanent employment not to mention the financial benefits contractor rates can bring.

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