Considering contracting?
As with temp work, contractors are usually employed on a fixed term basis and paid daily or weekly. IT contracting is particularly popular, allowing those with tech-specific skills to assist companies in the delivery of their projects.
Contracting shares many of the benefits of temping, such as increased flexibility and the opportunity to develop new skills. To help decide whether it’d work for you, here are some key benefits of contracting:
Pay conditions
In certain fields, for example in IT, contracting is paid significantly more than permanent roles in the same field – in some cases two or three times as much.
Contracting can also have the benefit of weekly rather than monthly pay, meaning you receive more regular payments for your work.
Flexible working
Permanent jobs generally only offer workers between four and five weeks holiday each year.
In contrast, due to the flexible nature of contract work, contractors are able to benefit from extended holidays, as well as more flexible holiday periods (e.g. short notice holidays at the end of a project).
How to: Ask for flexible working hours
Varied working environments
Contract work is often project-based, so it lasts a set period of time before the contractor moves on to their next assignment.
This means that contract workers can engage with a range of different working environments, cultures and styles, by working in a number of companies.
This variety of experience can provide you with constant stimulation at work, as well as being indispensable experience for your future career.
Employee benefits: What you need to know
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Greater control over how you work
Contracting, by its very nature, lets you decide the sort of work and projects you’d like to be involved in.
In addition, it also gives you total flexibility over how you’re employed, with many agencies allowing you to work via a limited company, an umbrella company or directly through the agency.
Work where you want, when you want, and with who you want. With contracting, your career could be just that simple.
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