Should I or not? Taking a contract job to replace my current full time?

[NewJeffCT]

I am working in the accounting and financial reporting field. Currently, I am working for a small to mid-sized company now, with maybe 350 total employees. I started here a little over two years ago, literally the day before my daughter was born in February of 2003.

The overall atmosphere in this company is pretty good, but I am not happy. Maybe it is the change in my priorities since my daughter is born, or maybe it is the weight off of my shoulders from going from an oppressive work atmosphere at my old company, but I have just not been mentally sharp at this job and my work has not been up to par. Maybe it is a combination of both, plus depression over the election last year?

I have been casually looking for a new job as a hopeful way to make a fresh start.

We currently use the benefits at my wife's company, as they pick up a lot higher percentage of the tab than my current company would. As far as I know, she is in no danger of losing her job any time soon.

Tomorrow morning, I have an interview for a good job in the same field that would be a good $10,000 to $15,000 raise for me. There is one caveat, however. I would first have to start out as a "contract" worker for 90 days at like $45 an hour working for the agency that contacted me about this job. I would also get time and a half for overtime. Assuming all goes well in those 90 days, I would then start off as a regular full-time employee after my 90 day trial period.

I have never worked as a contract, or temp, worker my entire life.

Should I take the chance and go from full-time employment to a situation where I could potentially be looking again in 90 days?

[rock]

1. Sounds good to me

Take it.

[SmokingJacket]

2. I would go for it, BUT...

I happen to be self-employed -- working in an office where I'm not happy sounds like pure hell to me. It sounds like jail.

Most of my employment has been temporary for that reason.

But if you're getting a big raise and you think your life needs a change, AND your wife has a good job... why not?

GOOD LUCK, anyway.

[NewJeffCT]

6. it's a good raise

and, I'd still be working in an office...

[NewJeffCT]

7. lunchtime kick

[Demit]

3. "assuming all goes well in those 90 days": this is a big risk.

And it's you who assumes all the risk. Are they guaranteeing you 40 hours during this period? Do you have a written contract that states their promises? Is it possible to talk to other contract workers about their satisfaction with the agency?

Companies employ agencies which then employ the workers. This creates a level of distance for the companies--you are onsite working for them, but any complaint or problem you have must be taken up with the agency who is your actual employer. Also, the company (probably) can say, at any time, that there is no more work for you and there you are, with no employment unless the agency finds you another situation.

You have all the risk, they hold all the cards.

[NewJeffCT]

5. It's a large reputable job agency

And, I'm pretty sure this company has plenty of work for me to give me 40 hours a week or more.

[Demit]

14. I was pretty sure, as well. Then when I asked them to put it in writing,

they wouldn't. I got a verbal promise of a per-hour rate, then the day before I was to start I was told there had been a "miscommunication" and the job paid $7 an hour less. I hadn't gotten anything in writing. I turned down the job. A year later, the company farmed out the work its contract workers had been doing and they were all out on the street, just like that.

I would check out this potential situation as thoroughly as I could. Get specifics beforehand. Don't forget, your employer will be the temp agency. Check them out, ask a barrage of questions. Write down your questions. Ask your wife to suggest questions. Ask the temp agency for the names of their former temps who became permanent employees, then talk to them.

It's a bird-in-hand v. two-in-the-bush situation. Protect yourself. And good luck!

edited to add: I was doing work for this company, as a freelancer, on 9/11. By noon, the company made an announcement that it was evacuating and shutting down. The contract workers weren't sure they would be paid for the day (like the regular staffers) so they worked as long as they could. That's another thing to be aware of: there will be a subtle difference that you'll be able to feel, between staff workers & contract workers.

[NewJeffCT]

17. thanks for the advice

I will definitely ask them up front. My worry is actually the opposite, is that they want to hire me and I'm not that interested and would prefer to be closer to home. Will I owe this agency some sort of commission if I back out?

[NewJeffCT]

20. Follow-up

I did follow-up with the headhunter & he will put the $45/hour in writing. I will also be a W-2 employee of XXX agency for the 90 days, so I won't have to pay 2x social security.

[jburton]

19. The agency's loyalty is to the company, not to you

Just keep that in mind.

[jswordy]

8. This is an excellent post, DemItAll. They may not like your shoe style...

...and so out you go.

Huge risk. If bennies are provided at the current employer and are being left behind, it makes it an even bigger risk.

Love your summary line. Perfect. Might be an acceptable risk to someone single or newly married, living in rented housing and in their 20s. But if you are in the 40s or 50s, have a family and mortgage, it might not be so swell.

[Lars39]

4. Taxes will eat you alive if they don't hire you fulltime.

[cassandra uprising]

9. eee gats, that's tough one

I don't feel like I know enough about your situation to offer any help. I find that my matter how scary, you have to -excuse the cliche, follow your heart. It's got to be tough though, with a kid, that adds a whole another dimension to the scenario.

I hope what ever you decide, it works out for you.

[NewJeffCT]

10. yes, it is tough

On top of having a baby - I currently work in Hartford and this job would be in Worcester. I live East of the CT River, so I would be going all highway into Worcester...

Also, it would mean a change in our daycare situation, as right now, I drop our daughter off at my mom's house in Cromwell, then head into Hartford & back down after work. I don't want my mom driving all the way up to our home each day to pick our daughter up...

[cassandra uprising]

12. ouch

Tough call my dear.

[NoSheep]

11. Consider the self employment taxes you will have to pay.

[amazona]

13. i vote no -- contract work, just shoot yourself now

I hate to be the voice of negativity but after 20 years of self-employment work I think I have a little bit of a duty to say something. You get into that contract work ghetto and too often you can't get out. Maybe you'll get the job in 90 days or maybe they'll get a new contract worker in 90 days, for they don't have to pay Social Security and many other benefits to the contract worker. You do know that, just for starters, you pay double Social Security tax on self-employment (contract) income?

If they really want you, they need to make a firm commitment. After all, you will be making the commitment to give up your real job, and there is no guarantee that you can get it back.

Few people are "sharp" or happy in their jobs. That is why they pay you.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[leftofthedial]

15. I did that once

30 days into my 90 days, the company instituted a hiring freeze. 18 months later, still a highly rated worker there and still a contractor, I left.

[lukasahero]

16. Not really sure what you're considering is "contract" work

It's taking a full time job with a contract to hire stipulation. There's a difference. Companies are doing this more and more these days because the cost to actually hire someone is high. If you have no reason to believe you won't be able to meet the requirements of the job (i.e. - give them some reason not to hire you) then why not go for it?

(PS - I'm a contractor with a company that finds me jobs. My husband is a private consultant - he finds his own work. We both love it although there can be some stressful times when contracts expire.)

(PSS - who's the agency, if you care to share? My company is primarily in the accounting/finance arena as well. Sarbanes/Oxley is keeping lots of contractors gainfully employed these days.)

[Love Bug]

18. Take the advice of others here

My sister just started a new job yesterday as a full-time direct hire worker after 6 years as a temp/contract worker for various companies. In every one of them they dangled the carrot of "maybe we'll hire you in" but they never did because it was cheaper for them to keep her where she was. The temp agency had a vested interest in keeping her as a temp because she is very good and they had no problem placing her. In all this time she always felt like the "odd man out" because some companies treat temps like barely tolerable vermin. Finally a job posted 2 weeks ago that was a perfect fit for her -- she nailed the inverviews and was hired. She can hardly believe it -- she'll get her own cube and not be expected to share; she'll get a good computer and not the left overs; she'll have her own phone and not have to share; and on and on.

My advice is for you to keep looking to find that perfect direct hire job at the salary you want. Once you get into the Contract/Temp ghetto it'll be hard to get out.

[blondeatlast]

21. Hubby just finished contract work. A few questions:

1. Are you being hired by a consulting firm (as hubby was) or is this temp work? For instance, hubby was guaranteed a paycheck as long as the company had contracts.

2. If your company doesn't have a contract, do you still get paid? My hubby did.

3. Are you free to leave and take a position at a contracted employer? Hubby was NOT, although his already ailing company let him go to their ex-contracted company with their blessing. THIS IS A BIG ISSUE, btw...