Re: The Worst Thing About Contracting

[Elna Tymes <etymes -at- LTS -dot- COM>]

Elizabeth Vollbach wrote:

> There are many reasons for my dissatisfaction with contracting, but top
> of the list is how demeaning it was. I never felt wanted. I never felt
> like I belonged where I was. I never felt valued, necessary, or
> important.

And I'll counter with my own experience that our skills as contractors have
been much wanted, valued, necessary, and important.  And that's over a period
of some 20+ years.  I've felt demeaned only a couple of times, when the old
"blame the contractor if something goes wrong" political maxim got used, but at
least I understood it wasn't personal and the guy saying that was mostly just
covering his a**.

When all is said and done, I can take what I earn as a contractor over the
course of a year - which is usually about double what I'd earn as a captive
employee - and even after taxes and health insurance I have more to put in our
retirement accounts or spend at the grocery store than almost any other captive
I know.  Plus, I get at least two weeks of vacation per quarter.  Granted, I
don't get paid sick leave.  But when I have to work 60-80 hrs/week to meet a
deadline, I get paid for every single hour, rather than doing it "for the good
of the company."

A nice, fat balance in the checking account tends to make up for some
miscellaneous writing manager's not making me feel loved.

Elna Tymes
Los Trancos Systems

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