So, you’re scrolling through the job sites, looking at all the different roles available and you keep seeing Permanent and Contractor popping up. What’s the difference you might ask? Well, there’s a few key differences to be aware of when looking at the type of work you may wish to take on. We put our team to the test and have highlighted our top 7 benefits to being a contractor beneath!
Contract work has many perks, but none so great as being able to work at different locations, and with so many different people. Given contracts are typically 6-to-12 months, but do often get extended, they are often a phenomenal chance for you to build out an impressive CV and work across a variety of industries and roles as you build out your career portfolio. Not to mention that contract roles often operate on a project basis, meaning that you’ll have plenty to do from day one!
Contractors are usually hired as specialists in their field, and with this comes higher pay! By forgoing the standard perks of being a permanent employee – i.e., annual leave – contractors receive a higher salary to compensate for this, and to acknowledge their skill set.
It is worth noting here that contractors do have to pay their own tax. However, when you sign on as a contractor with us, we help walk you through all of this!
As you are moving between so many roles over the space of a few years, typically, you’ll experience a greater rate of growth. Working alongside business leaders and getting to work on fast paced projects and with all manner of people results in a higher rate of personal and professional development.
As you’ll meet such a vast range of individuals, your experience within the network of your specialized field will grow. This opens up opportunities down the track for permanent employment once you’re at a level where you’d prefer consistency. This also allows you to embrace all manner of company cultures, and meet a vast range of individuals who all have their own tricks, talents and knowledge to impart.
As a contractor, you will have definitive contractual periods so that you know you are ending on a specific date, which allows you to plan your life accordingly. Although you miss out on annual leave, as a contractor you can budget and set aside excess funds to account for this (and you also have the freedom to advance funds to yourself) meaning that if you want to take a holiday at the end of the contract, you surely can!
Permanent employees are usually hired to fulfil a wide range of tasks, including their role. Contractors on the other hand are hired to fulfil a specific purpose where a business is lacking. This allows you to truly hone your skills and make a name for yourself as a true expert. As New Zealand is such a tight community, the chances of networking between people who know each other is high, meaning that if your reputation as a specialist precedes you, you’ll virtually have your pick of the crop!
In a lot of cases, this can convert into a permanent position after an employer gets the chance to see the true value of having a specialist on board.
Contracting also offers you many flexible opportunities, and the chance to work where you want and when you want. This will vary by employer but usually you can set your hours and days of work to accommodate your lifestyle.
Here at FIND, we work closely with employers and contractors across a wide range of industries. By contracting with us, we’ll help navigate those murky waters between jobs and keep you in contact with employers; keeping you apprised of opportunities as they come through. You’ll deal directly with a specialist recruiter in your field and find that contracting can be an exhilarating way of working!
Check out our contract roles here or to contact us for a no obligations, confidential chat, click here!
Thanks for your interest in what we do here at FIND. We love meeting and helping amazing kiwis every day and will always do our best for our clients and candidates. We've been simplifying the recruitment game since 2008, so don't hesitate to get in touch if you need our help!
