Contract Jobs

[Jeff Long]

Hello,
Could anyone comment on the pros and cons of doing contract employment?
I am currently exploring career options and have never done contract work
before. I have heard there are some downsides and would like to figure out whether or not it's the right thing for me to do, and your feedback (particularly of anyone who has done contract work) would be
very helpful and appreciated.
Also, could anyone mention about the different documents/agreement to be signed (typically) in a contract job and their implicaitons/problems there in. ( I dont want to sign something now and regret for it later, so if there is someone out there, who has gone through some bad experiences, please enlighten me)
Jeff

[Mark Herschberg]

Good question. These answers are general answers, specific cases and circumstances may differ, especially by location and market conditions.
I am also answering based on short term positions, i.e. 3-6 months. I have friends who do long term contract work, sometimes 2 years or more.
Pros:
-----
1) You make more money
2) You have more flexibility in what you work on.
3) You get more exposure to different types of companies, businesses, and technologies.
4) You work a 40 hour week.
5) You get to take all sorts of deductions.

Cons:
-----
1) You're always looking for new work
2) You may go through periods of unemployment
3) Some companies treat you badly, that is, the full time employees scorn contract workers.
4) You don't get benefits (there are exceptions, depending on how you set it up)
5) You don't get depth within a technology6) You don't see the long term lifecycle of projects, including the side-effects of decisions you've made.

It's really more of a lifestyle choice. Personally, I would recommend getting some employee experience first, unless you're working under someone with experience.

As for documents, AFAIK, there's just the contract and an NDA. An NDA you'll get with any company, and even with some interviews. Be careful about signing these, some are more restrictive then others.

--Mark

[Ashley Pratt]

I totally agree with Marks's views.
Few more suggestions from my side.
->People who work on contract have to live upto high expectations of the companies.
->Contract people can see more world, as mostly they keep on reallocating.
->You get lot of holidays(in between contracts)
->contract peoples can be the first guys in the companies to get pink slip.

[Joseph Hammerman]

I have been a contract programmer for 12 years. I agree with the above comments about contract programming in general. However, anyone who would become a contract programmer at this time would have to be crazy.