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Subject:Re: FWD: Advice on contract vs. captive From:Laurel Nelson <Laurel_Y_Nelson -at- NOTES -dot- SEAGATE -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 4 Sep 1998 16:04:28 -0500
You asked:
Most specifically, how did you handle "bad assignments" (either long
commutes or lousy companies)? Any agency "gotchas" to watch out for?
You better ask the people at the agency how they deal with such issues. Do
you have a choice on where you work or do they tell you and you have to
accept? If you don't have a choice, you are eventually going to be assigned
to a job with a long commute or undesirable working conditions.
If you are a full-time employee of the agency, you aren't a contract
employee in the true sense and won't have the freedom that real contractors
have. If you go captive, at least you'll know where you'll be driving
everyday and what you'll be doing.
BTW, my agency contact told me that contract jobs in the Minneapolis/St.
Paul area now average 11 months, while a permanent tech writer lasts on the
average 14 months in one job. Not too much difference.
One nasty aspect of being a non-W2 contractor is that if you try to
refinance a mortgage or try to get a home remodeling loan, no mortgage
company or bank will have anything to do with you. You may be able to
convince them that you have a dependable income, but you have to do lots of
talking, etc.
