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There have been times where my longer term contractings jobs were normal jobs, except I had to pay for my own benefits. I think the government now frowns upon t

by bombs 16y ago

There have been times where my longer term contractings jobs were normal jobs, except I had to pay for my own benefits. I think the government now frowns upon this practice though.

briandu 16y ago
The government frowns on it (ala big Microsoft lawsuit a few years ago) but it is still very common. I've worked for alot of companies that have been able to quickly and easily ramp up a big project by bringing in contractors and treating them similar to employees. 9 to 5-ish type hours, though with much more flexibility to set schedules, work at home, take random days off, etc. But in a way its a win-win, because the freelance contractor gets 40-60+ hours of work at a 2x+ hourly rate, and the company can let them go when the project ultimately is finished or gets cancelled. If the cash keeps flowing, these captive contractors often stay around for multiple projects, so the company doesn't even lose the IP.
jrockway 16y ago
Indeed. I was a contractor for the last year or so. Now I am an associate at the same company. I sit at the same desk and do the same work. Except now my salary is higher, I get a month of vacation, I get 401(k) matching, I get vision/medical/dental insurance, and so on. And I still don't wake up for the "rah rah" meetings :) I worked with people exactly like the contractor in the article. This kind of person cares only about one thing; money. The project? Secondary. Coming to work regularly? Secondary. Finding every last tax deduction? Critical. (I take it as a compliment that someone I work with told me, "wow, you're a contractor? I had no idea".)
- jasonkester 16y ago
  Sounds like you weren't ever actually a contractor. There are two types of position that employers describe as "Contractor". The first is the type described in the article, where you bring in a guy for a short term and pay him roughly double what you'd pay a regular dev. The second type is where you bring in a guy, pay him the equivilent of a regular dev salary, but as an hourly rate, and don't give him any benefits. This second type has a more common name: "Being taken advangage of." Sounds like that's the type of "contracting" you were doing. Congrats on getting out of it.

by bombs 16y ago

There have been times where my longer term contractings jobs were normal jobs, except I had to pay for my own benefits. I think the government now frowns upon this practice though.

briandu 16y ago

The government frowns on it (ala big Microsoft lawsuit a few years ago) but it is still very common. I've worked for alot of companies that have been able to quickly and easily ramp up a big project by bringing in contractors and treating them similar to employees. 9 to 5-ish type hours, though with much more flexibility to set schedules, work at home, take random days off, etc. But in a way its a win-win, because the freelance contractor gets 40-60+ hours of work at a 2x+ hourly rate, and the company can let them go when the project ultimately is finished or gets cancelled. If the cash keeps flowing, these captive contractors often stay around for multiple projects, so the company doesn't even lose the IP.

jrockway 16y ago

Indeed. I was a contractor for the last year or so. Now I am an associate at the same company. I sit at the same desk and do the same work. Except now my salary is higher, I get a month of vacation, I get 401(k) matching, I get vision/medical/dental insurance, and so on. And I still don't wake up for the "rah rah" meetings :) I worked with people exactly like the contractor in the article. This kind of person cares only about one thing; money. The project? Secondary. Coming to work regularly? Secondary. Finding every last tax deduction? Critical. (I take it as a compliment that someone I work with told me, "wow, you're a contractor? I had no idea".)

jasonkester 16y ago
Sounds like you weren't ever actually a contractor. There are two types of position that employers describe as "Contractor". The first is the type described in the article, where you bring in a guy for a short term and pay him roughly double what you'd pay a regular dev. The second type is where you bring in a guy, pay him the equivilent of a regular dev salary, but as an hourly rate, and don't give him any benefits. This second type has a more common name: "Being taken advangage of." Sounds like that's the type of "contracting" you were doing. Congrats on getting out of it.