Working As A Contractor Myths

Myth 1: There’s no job security as a contractor.

For years it has been ingrained into us that permanent work is the safest bet and contract is something people should stay away from. This means that permanent employees often look at contract work and assume they will be out of a job in six months. However, the great thing about being a contractor is that you are not tied or limited to one service.

If you have many skills and talents, you can always find work. The situation may be unpredictable, but as the talent yourself, you control who to work with, what kind of projects to accept, and how long the project could be.

Myth 2: You will lose out on employee benefits, such as sick pay and holiday pay.

Of course, contractors don’t get employee benefits like sick pay, holidays, health insurance, company cars or pensions. That is because they are not employees. However, contractors earn enough and leverage sufficient tax advantages to pay for all these things themselves. They can also choose the benefits they want and need, which employees cannot. You will have the autonomy to decide when you want to take some time off. You basically become your own boss – which can be extremely enjoyable and satisfying and help you to strike a better work-life balance.

Myth 3: It’s isolating and lonely being a contractor

This might have been the case a few decades ago, but with the emergence of video conferencing software, asynchronous communication apps, coworking spaces and online communities, it’s never been easier to work remotely. Tech tools like Slack, Trello, Zoom, and Google Drive make everything easier and more accessible.

And as more and more people are taking that leap into contracting, organized events like meetups and conferences are becoming increasingly popular in communities all around the world. Engaging and being part of the community is an important part in growing and learning.

Myth 4: Contractors get all the boring work left over from permanent workers

Contractors are typically taken on because they have high-level skills that the client’s employees don’t possess. Additionally, contractors don’t have to do any work not specified in their contract. So, they can choose not to work on contracts they fear will be uninteresting, and can leave by not renewing their contract if they do not enjoy what they are doing.

Although it may be hard leaving your permanent job and dipping your toes in contracting, after you've made the leap you'll wonder why you didn't do it ages ago!

For more information, email scalamatters@umatr.io