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When hunting for a job, most career-minded individuals are striving for full-time, permanent employment. This is the most traditional form of employment as it commonly brings job stability and benefits, such as health insurance and 401K matching. However, there are other viable options for job seekers out there, including contract and temporary jobs.
The major similarity between contract roles and temporary positions is that they are both considered non-permanent roles. However, they do have a few technical differences.
Indeed describes a contract worker as, “Workers hired for a specific project or length of time by a company for a set fee. Often, contract employees are hired due to their expertise in a particular area.” Contractors are usually brought on when a company requires help with a specific project and does not have the bandwidth or necessary skills required to complete the task in-house.
FlexJobs defines a temporary job as, “Temporary employment represents an employment situation in which a person works for a specified period of time, based on the needs of the employer.” Temporary jobs are usually used for filling the role of a full-time employee that may be on an extended leave, or when the company is gearing up for its busy season.
Contract and temporary jobs are frequently posted on job boards, but they are just as often overlooked by job seekers because they are not permanent positions. Thus, it’s important for job seekers to discover the benefits of contract and temporary jobs to determine if they are a viable and desired career path.
1) Higher Pay
One of the most enticing benefits of contract and temporary jobs is the pay tends to be higher than full-time employees. This is because contract and temporary employees do not receive benefits such as health insurance and paid time off. Therefore, to compensate for those missing benefits, contract and temporary employees commonly secure higher pay than their full-time counterparts.
2) Greater Freedom
Contract and temporary jobs offer greater freedom than full-time, permanent positions. This is a result of contract jobs being project-based and temporary jobs having a set duration. As a result, contract and temporary employees can take time off in between projects or assignments. For example, if a contract employee finished a project for a company, and they desire to take a one-month sabbatical before starting their next project, they have the ability. Contract and temporary jobs provide more freedom, leeway, and control for professionals.
3) Expanding and Diversifying Skills
Full-time, permanent positions allow professionals to extensively learn about their job and company, which is highly beneficial. On the other hand, contract and temporary jobs enable professionals to gain more comprehensive skillsets since they are more frequently accepting new positions at various companies. Additionally, contract and temporary jobs tend to make professionals more adaptable since they are consistently joining new teams, experiencing different workflows, and being immersed in a variety of work cultures.
4) Networking Opportunities
Utilizing coworkers and previous coworkers is one of the greatest and easiest methods of networking. Not only is it extremely natural since you are already connected, but they also already have an idea of your work ethic and skills. Contract and temporary jobs allow professionals to meet and work with a much larger group of people than a full-time, permanent position because they are consistently working at new companies. Therefore, contract and temporary employees can utilize their extensive network to continue finding future projects.
5) Full-time Leads
Lastly, contract and temporary jobs can lead to full-time employment. This is not always the case and should not be expected. However, it is not uncommon for a contract or temporary employee to be brought on full-time and permanently after the project is completed, or the set time is up. Other possibilities include the employer providing the employee with additional projects or routinely bringing the employee back when needed.
The job search is already a challenging experience, so do not unnecessarily place restrictions by automatically ignoring contract and temporary job postings. Some professionals find it beneficial to create pro-con lists to determine if a contract or temporary position may be a good fit. Even if you decide a contract or temporary job is not the perfect fit for you, it is valuable to have a solid understanding of all the options available.
If you have any questions about additional best practices during the job hunt or the recruiting process, please reach out to info@enamix.com.
