RE: Contracting confusion/frustration

["Wilcox, Rose (ZB5646)" <Rose -dot- Wilcox -at- pinnaclewest -dot- com>]

<<I have been writing for some years now and this is the first taste I have
of contracting. I do not like it. I too feel the same (either deserved or
undeserved) indignation at being referred to as "hired help" or a "temp." >>

This would vary from place to place.  Some places I have contracted have
treated me identically to permanent employees; most have varied somewhat,
but still extended themselves to make contractors feel at home.  I imagine a
place that would treat me badly as a contracter would also be a bad place to
go permanent at.  I have never been referred to as "hired help" or as a
"temp" though.  I am generally referred to as "the tech writer".  Eventually
the discussion comes to whether I am permanent or contracter, but it doesn't
affect my tasks or working environment.  It affects my benefits, and if they
have a special event like at the museum or something, I have to ask if it
extends to me as a contractor or not. However, most places I have contracted
have had *many* contractors....

[snip]
<<
People on this list will tell you that the biggest difference between
permanent and contract is that a contractor gets more money. That used to be
true but now it seems "they" know they can get you for less money so you
(like me) may end up working for the same pay a permanent employee will get
but without the benefits. Only difference is that Temp Agency is getting a
portion of your pay for doing nothing.
>>

Before the recession, I noticed that salary differences as well as benefits
offered had flattened out quite a bit, especially for senior tech writers.
That is, the permanent job salaries were only slightly below contracting
rates I was getting and the benefits offered to permanent employees were
only slightly better than the benefits I could get contracting.

I imagine now that the rates for contracting are falling a bit, and that
benefits have been cut.  I'm still working for pre-recession rates and
benefits, so I'm holding on to this contract as long as possible.  

The biggest difference to me between contracting and permanent is simply
variety of assignments.  My resume has a lot more variety of skills on it
than a tech writer who stays in one job for longer.  The other thing is that
there used to be more contracts available than permanent jobs, so I felt it
was slightly easier to find a contract.  Now that I have contracted for
years, my resume doesn't show me in one place over 2 years, so most
permanent jobs seem to think of that as a detriment.  <shrugs>  So I'm kind
of stuck contracting, but that suits my temperment, as I like the variety
and challenge of learning new things.

It is possible that you landed in a bad company. 

As far as the other situation, the subcontracting, I've only done that once,
but it worked very well the time I did it.  So I imagine the same thing, you
landed in a bad contract...
Hope both of you, Tom and Anne, end up in better places in the future.

Rosie


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