Can we talk about contract work? 

I have had numerous conversations over the years with candidates about contract roles. I am surprised at a lot of people’s resistance to taking a contract role at a company.  I have done it multiple times, reaped the benefits, and experienced the downsides.  In my experience, taking a contract role was a good thing and I recommend it.  Let me explain. 

The 2  reasons I hear the most regarding not taking a contract role have been: 1. not giving up their full time role. 2.  Needing the good health insurance they currently have even though they don’t like their job. 

I understand both reasons and don’t hold those against anyone.  But, I think there are people out there who don’t understand what a contract role is. 

I spent a year and a half working at Google.  I was never a Google employee.  I worked at Yahoo for almost 2 years.  I was never a Yahoo employee.  While a contractor at those companies I learned! My contract roles at Amazon and Intuit turned into offers to join full time. 

I learned how those companies do hiring, how they evaluate candidates, their processes, their cultures…both different.  I learned the good and the bad.  What worked and didn’t work.  Why it worked at one place but would not work at another…I learned. 

I met people.  When my contract was up at Google, some people I had worked with went over to Yahoo, they asked me to join them there.  I took a contract role, worked hard, provided value and once I was able to demonstrate success as those companies, other companies called me.   

To be honest, there are downsides to contract roles.  When a company downsizes, contractors are first to go.  There is no severance package.   The benefits are not that great.  If you get health insurance, dental… they are usually bare bones policies.  Most of the time, no 401K either.  You also do not get to participate in company events, like retreats or all hands meetings.  When I worked on campus, there were some buildings I was not allowed into. 

Maybe the way to look at a contract role is as an investment.  You are doing it to learn, meet people and provide value.  You get to learn how that company operates and put your learnings and successes on your resume. It does count, and you do get paid for it. 

If you can take a contract role, and one is offered, I recommend it.  It changed my career, I made some lifelong friends, professional connections, and I learned.  When I talk to companies now and they ask me how they should set up an interview structure, a recruiting strategy…I can talk to them about what I learned at these companies I was never an employee of, but worked there. 

 

Can we talk about contract work?  

I’ve had a bunch of conversations over the years with candidates about corporate contract roles. I am blown away at a lot of people’s resistance to taking a contract role at a company.  I have done it multiple times, at big companies and small, reaped the benefits, and experienced the downsides, and I’m a huge advocate for it.  

Let me explain.  

The 2 reasons I hear the most why people don’t want to take a contract role have been: 1. Not giving up their full-time role and some security that comes with it. 2. Needing the good health insurance they currently have through their employer.  

Let’s understand what a contract role is.  

I spent a year and a half working at Google.  I was never a Google employee.  I worked at Yahoo for almost 2 years.  I was never a Yahoo employee.  While a contractor at those companies 

(1) I learned a ton that helped me get better jobs at the top companies in the world and get me where I am today.  

I learned how those companies do hiring, how they evaluate candidates, their processes, their cultures…both Google and Yahoo are totally different.  I learned the good and the bad.  What worked and didn’t work.  Why it worked at one place but would not work at another…I learned.  

(2) I met people.  When my contract was up at Google, some people I  worked with went over to Yahoo, they  pulled me there.  I took a contract role, worked hard, provided value and once I was able to demonstrate success as those companies, other companies were calling.   My contract roles at Amazon and Intuit turned into offers to join full time.   

There are downsides to contract roles.  When a company downsizes, contractors are first to go.  You typically must take the extra money you are making as a contractor and find your own benefits package on the market. 

Look at a contract role as an investment.  You are doing it to learn, meet people and show the people that work there your worth and value.  You get to learn how that company operates and put your learnings and successes on your resume. It places you first to become hired full time. It does count, and you do get paid for it.  

If you can take a contract role, and one is offered, I recommend it.  It changed my career, I made some lifelong friends, professional friends, my network exploded, and I learned.