Contracting 101: Enter the Wonderful World of Opportunities!

Are you considering a career change but hesitant about undergoing retraining? Do you desire greater work-life balance and earning potential? Contracting might just be the solution you’ve been searching for!

To some contracting is perceived as unstable with disadvantages including lack of holiday or sick pay. While it may not have the same ongoing stability as a full-time role. Millions of Australians choose to work on temporary contracts for a variety of reasons.

In last year’s census over 1.1 million, that’s 8.3% of working Australians reported that they worked as independent contractors while 3.4% of workers reported working on temporary fixed-term contracts. (ABS.GOV.AU)

Work-life balance is increasingly important to Australian workers in the post-COVID era and so contracting is becoming increasingly popular. Every industry requires contractors in some capacity.

If the flexibility and freedom that contracting can give you sounds good to you then read on to learn about why your next role should be a temporary one.

The Benefits of Contracting.

1. The Freedom

If you’re the kind of person who is easily fed up by the routines of day-to-day life and wants to experience something new then contracting is most likely a great option for you. The nature of temporary fixed-term employment means that you will be able to experience a variety of different working environments and industries while letting you meet new people and build a valuable network along the way.

Generally, a fixed-term contract will last a couple of months to a year but some can stretch up to several years. Experiencing such a range of different projects in a short amount of time with varying levels of scope, scale, and responsibility can accelerate your progress through your career and greatly reduce your chances of being pigeonholed into a role or industry that you don’t like.

Having a diverse range of experiences adds excitement to life, and working as a contractor is undoubtedly one of the most dynamic employment opportunities available.

2. Higher rate of pay

While yes it is true as a fixed-term contractor you will miss out on some conditions enjoyed by full-time or part-time employees such as annual leave.

However, to compensate for this you will have access to far higher rates of pay. Independent contractors usually negotiate their own fees and working arrangements and can work for more than one client at a time.

And when you want to take time off you can, whenever you like!

Maybe you choose to have 4 weeks off at the end of a big project for a holiday. Or you could jump straight into your next contract. The choice is entirely up to you.

3. Unbeatable work/life balance

As a contractor, you have a high degree of control over your work. That includes your hours, work location, and how you do the work. You may find that you do your best work starting in the afternoon and finishing at late at night. Now you may find it difficult to find an employer who offers that level of flexibility but as an independent contract, it’s completely your choice.

Contracting can be a huge benefit for people with great self discipline and understanding of their own productivity and scheduling.

Thinking of giving contracting a try? 

Short-term contractors are in high demand and we are constantly looking to fill live roles, check out our latest roles on our jobs page, learn more about contracting or connect with Henry (below)!