Contract vs. full time employment?

A dilemma for a lot of job seekers. So which is recommended?

Well this really depends on what you want and geographically market you are in. In areas like London contracting can be a way of life, but employers in other countries will see this as “job hopping” and it can be difficult to get permanent work if you’ve been contracting long term. It is good to have an understanding of the attitudes of employers in your market.

The advantages or contract work are that you can get a higher salary either per hour or by day. However there are no employee benefits. You also have no rights as an employee unless you have been in the same group for several years and those rights are dependent on the laws in the country you are contracting in. So if there are redundancies on the cards the contractors are the cheaper options to “let go”.

One of the advantages of contracting is that you can build a lot of diverse experience within many organisations in a quick time frame. This can be exciting and fun and you can really get a good feel for what you prefer to do, or not do as the case may be.

The advantage of a permanent role is that you have “some” security and right regarding your job. Further companies generally take training and up skilling permanent employees more seriously. Though training will be skewed towards the job you are currently in and getting training in new areas can be very difficult.

Also, the job market you are in can very much effect your decision as to the job you take. If the market is really tight and there are very few jobs then it may not be a matter of choice, of course if circumstances allow it you could also try out a new job market or location. Relocating for a job is an increasingly common occurrence.

When deciding on which is best for you, take into account your personal circumstances and financial position. Also make sure you are very aware of what your long term goals are. Are you looking to build a career within one organisation or are you more interested in gaining diverse experience? Knowing yourself and your needs and limitations financial or career wise is the first step.