If you are looking to boost your career opportunities, increase your income or fill in a gap between permanent jobs, contract work might be a great move for your career.Unlike permanent jobs, a contract job’s onboarding process moves quickly, only taking weeks or even days from agreement to start date. This can be great news, but for those new to contract roles, it can be easy to fall into traps or make commitments you can’t fulfill.
Contract work can be a valuable way to grow your tech career, but choosing your next role should come down to what is best for you both now and in the long run. Temporary positions can offer a chance to gain experience, prove your skills and potentially open the door to permanent opportunities.
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For some, contracting is a great pathway into a larger organization, while for others, the biggest benefit of tech contract jobs is that they offer more flexibility than permanent roles, making it easier for someone to pursue a career in tech while working to live, not living to work.
If you’re considering entering the world of contracting, these are the six questions you should ask a possible future employer before signing the dotted line.
What’s the contract length?
It may seem straightforward, but it’s important to set clear expectations around contract length from the start. You’ll want to know whether you should be preparing for your next opportunity soon or planning to stay in the role for a while. Clarity is key, since contract durations can vary widely.
It seems simple, but make sure to establish contract length expectations for both sides. It’s important to know if you’re going to look for your next contract soon or if the contract will have you staying in the same place for a while. Clarification can be vital, as standard contract positions can vary wildly, with some lasting as little as 4 weeks, but others going on indefinitely.
When do I start?
Landing a contract role is great, but it’s not time to celebrate until the funding is in place. Some organizations start looking for contractors as part of the bidding process, so they could be interviewing you before the project is secured.
You don’t want to stop looking for opportunities or worse, turn down other tech contract jobs, unless you’re 100% sure that the project is going to happen. By asking when you start, you’ll get a clear idea of what stage the project is at. If they say “next week” or “this afternoon,” you know it's ready to go. If the interviewer says they’ll need some time to confirm, make sure they know you’re interested, but don’t stop applying for roles.
What are the employment terms?
As a contractor, you must know your rights and responsibilities when it comes to paying your taxes. The business will hire you as either a 1099 or a W-2 employee. A 1099 contractor will get paid in full, with no deductions. You’ll be responsible for your own tax payments, including self-employment taxes.
As a W-2 employee, the employer will deduct the tax before you get paid. You might be tempted to think that you’ll be paid more if you take the 1099 route, but with self-employment tax on top of your tax, Social Security and Medicare taxes, it might cost you more in the long run.
There are pros and cons to both options. If you are a self-employed contractor, you can write off certain work expenses such as travel, phone and tech equipment. It's important to decide what you prefer before negotiations begin so you can secure the terms that work best for you.
What will happen at the end of the contract?
The contract might have a set end date, but it is still a good idea to ask what is likely to happen when it wraps up. If the company has other big projects coming up, you might be considered for those first once your initial contract ends. That could be a factor in your decision if you are weighing multiple offers.
Additionally, a great thing about using a tech recruiter to find contract jobs is that future contract opportunities could come from other tech companies, not just the one you’re interviewing with or contracting for now. As you build rapport with your tech recruiter, you might see smaller gaps between contracts as well as longer, higher-paying contracts becoming available for you.
What does the path to a permanent role look like?
If you're considering contract-to-hire positions, it's important to have clear expectations on both sides. Hiring managers should be upfront about how long it typically takes to convert from a contract role to a full time position. This will also help further down the line; if you’re told the usual time from contract to hire is 3 months, and you’ve been there closer to 9 months, you can speak to your hiring manager about future plans.
What salary can I expect from a permanent role?
Deciding to pursue contracting depends on your priorities. Tech contractors typically earn more and have greater flexibility, but there may be less job security and the need to search for new roles more frequently.
If you're aiming to transition from contract to hire, your salary may decrease as you gain the benefits of permanent employment. While it may be a tricky conversation, clarifying salary expectations upfront can save you a lot of hassle later on.
Taking the leap into contract work can be daunting, but with the right recruiter, you can find a role that fits your current needs while setting you up for future success. Talk to us about your contracting opportunities and discover how you can jumpstart or accelerate your tech career.
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