Yesterday, I was given an offer for a temporary Help Desk position through a recruiter with the possibility of it going full-time. Of course, the ideal situation for anyone would be the direct hire route, but rarely has my career been a straight hire. Each and every position I've gotten in the nine years I've worked in IT has started out as a contract that became a full-time opportunity.
The very first opportunity I landed was meant to be a temporary position. Personnel changes occurred in the midst of the me being there and suddenly the company needed another Level 1. I gladly accepted it. I learned later on that taxes as a 1099 contractor are a different ball game than those of a W-2 contractor.
The second opportunity I landed was a contract-to-hire that converted into a full-time position. Unlike the previous job, this actually had the possibility of becoming a full-time position if I proved that I was worth onboarding into the company. I gave my all during the contract period despite being sick the entire time and having lost both my parents two years apart before leaving one job for this one.
The last job I worked at was literally a repeat of the second - a contract-to-hire. I showed I could do the job and got onboarded as a full-time employee.
The key to my success - take contract roles.
There are differences when dealing in contract or contract-to-hire roles in terms of benefits and pay. The nuts and bolts of the contractor life is that you always have to show and prove that you are worth the investment. Despite even being a contractor, you come into it with the bravado of a full-time employee just to manifest that future for yourself.
Even if the contract job doesn't lead to a job at the company, it's a notch on your belt and experience to add to your resume.
Related Posts
