| Why do you think you need a direct hire in | | | | working contract it's almost hard to address |
| order to make a living? It seems that 99% of | | | | them all! Here is a small sample: |
| 'direct hire' job seekers are looking for | | | | |
| security above everything else. But the truth | | | | -New companies/industries year after year |
| of the matter is that over the past 2-3 years | | | | |
| the bulk of companies in America experienced | | | | -You set your pay raises (but you still have |
| a slowdown and were forced to layoff both | | | | to be realistic!) |
| contract employees as well as direct | | | | |
| employees; but when things started coming | | | | -Seeing different parts of the world (if you |
| back around in 2004, guess who those same | | | | choose to be a National Contractor) |
| companies hired back first....the | | | | |
| contractors!Contract hire work is often times | | | | -Building a network of dozens of hiring |
| a different line item on a company's budget | | | | managers and recruiters |
| than a direct hire employee. Companies can | | | | |
| hire contractors without having to pay their | | | | -Reference letters! Everyone loves people |
| benefits, unemployment insurance, holiday & | | | | saying nice things about them, why not have a |
| vacation pay, (usually the recruiting firm | | | | big collection of them! |
| pays for these items) or match their 401k | | | | |
| plan. This makes hiring contractors a | | | | -If you travel to get to a company's |
| relatively easy and painless task for a | | | | location: Per Diem! Ask virtually any direct |
| company going through a slowdown. The | | | | employee what kind of living expense he/she |
| projects/work might not be as plentiful, but | | | | gets for working at the same company! |
| they still need employees in order to do | | | | |
| it!Have you ever been with a company as a | | | | -Meeting new people and working in new |
| direct hire and fantasize about NOT working | | | | teams! |
| for that company? The road ahead looks grim | | | | |
| and job hunting is tough to do while you are | | | | -Try before you buy! If your ideal situation |
| trapped in a cube 8 hours a day. But you have | | | | is to become a direct hire at the company, |
| security there, right? You get a raise once a | | | | now you can date the company before marrying |
| year, as long as the economy is strong. As a | | | | it! |
| contractor you only have to stay for your | | | | |
| project/assignment and then you are free to | | | | -Overtime! Most contractors are hired on an |
| go (or if another project comes up | | | | hourly basis. You work 45 hours in a week; |
| internally, they might ask you to stay), then | | | | you get paid for 40 hours regular and 5 |
| on to the next gig for a more attractive | | | | overtime. Ask most direct hires what they get |
| price!Or, on the other hand, I can think of | | | | paid when they work 45 hours a week!How Do I |
| countless times where a company has hired on | | | | start?Some folks think that you have to be a |
| a contractor through me, and they were such a | | | | big risk taker in order to be a contractor. |
| good match, at the end of the contract they | | | | What I actually see is people who aren't |
| hired the contractor on direct with a raise | | | | necessarily risk takers at all, rather people |
| and all! You can't win if you don't play. In | | | | who stay on top of a small database of |
| fact, there are some companies that ONLY hire | | | | recruiters and consistently contact them with |
| certain disciplines on a contract basis | | | | updates. I have worked with plenty of |
| before making any sort of long-term | | | | contractors who aren't even looking for a new |
| commitment. Am I talking about a 'contract to | | | | gig, but stay in touch with me on a weekly or |
| direct' or 'temp to permanent' placement? No, | | | | biweekly basis. They update me on the status |
| they are open-ended contract positions with | | | | of their current project, whether the company |
| no long-term commitment."I don't want my | | | | they are with is hiring or laying-off and any |
| resume to look like I am a job hopper!" | | | | new updates they want to add to their resume |
| That's exactly what it will look like if you | | | | (or my database). The whole call lasts 3 |
| try to play 'Contractor' with direct hire | | | | minutes, but one thing about contracting it |
| positions. A contractor's resume may or may | | | | is a contact sport-the more people you |
| not even have dates on it. Companies usually | | | | contact, the better you do.I would recommend |
| don't care how long a contractor was at his | | | | working with 3-5 different recruiters; |
| her last position. But if you show a Hiring | | | | provide them with your resume, cover letter, |
| Manager your Direct Hire resume and it has 10 | | | | and 2-3 professional references. Call or |
| different companies on it in a 3 year period, | | | | email them on a weekly or biweekly basis and |
| what would make the Manager think you were | | | | let them know that you are in fact excited |
| going to stay put at their | | | | about short or long-term assignments.SummaryI |
| company?ExperiencePersonally, I would rather | | | | couldn't even tell you the number of |
| take a 1-year contract position with a | | | | Contractors I know that wouldn't trade their |
| certain Minneapolis-based medical giant than | | | | career for anything. Some of these people |
| a direct hire position with Bob's Medical | | | | have traveled literally all across the globe |
| Device Company. This particular medical giant | | | | on different assignments, while others choose |
| is a highly acclaimed company recognized | | | | to stay local. Contract work is a great way |
| throughout the world and the experience I | | | | to expand your comfort zone, work in a |
| would gain there is more than likely | | | | variety of industries, and meet lots of new |
| hand-over-fist more valuable than any direct | | | | people. Not to mention it's a great way to |
| position elsewhere.Contracting is especially | | | | control your own career, set your own pay |
| good for Junior level candidates who don't | | | | rates, and plan your own vacations! Who |
| really know what their niche is yet. If you | | | | wouldn't want this?Dale Robert is a |
| are a Jr. level Mechanical Engineer but you | | | | MicroBusiness Coach, Career Coach, and |
| don't know if you want to do design work, | | | | Speaker/Seminar Leader. Dale has worked in |
| project management, engineering sales, or | | | | the Staffing Industry, primarily in the |
| whatever else, contracting is a great way to | | | | medical device field in Minneapolis, for 6 |
| figure out your calling. If you start out on | | | | years. He is also a Competent Toastmaster, |
| contract doing design work and you hate it, | | | | and the Vice President of a Toastmasters club |
| then once the assignment is over, you can | | | | in the Minneapolis, MN area. He is currently |
| eliminate 'design' from your checklist and | | | | rolling out a 'Consultant Business Start-up |
| move on to the next discipline.The Joys of | | | | Coaching Package', which helps Would-Be |
| Contract WorkThere are so many perks to | | | | Consultants get started in business! |