Finding a regular, full-time job in the technology field is incredibly challenging right now, especially for unemployed professionals.
Stiff competition for open roles, overly cautious employers and a job market that heavily favors professionals with specialized, in-demand expertise has turned job hunting into a frustrating process controlled by AI gatekeepers.
Why sit by and let your skills erode when contract staffing has rebounded this year and 66% of tech leaders plan to hire more project-based talent to build, configure and manage secure cloud infrastructure, integrate AI, re-evaluate existing technology stacks and other highly valuable hands-on tasks.
With technology changing faster than ever before, you need to stay hands-on and execute real-world tasks to be attractive to employers.
Should you consider pausing a full-time search to take on contract work? Here are five reasons why contracting is a smart move right now and some things to know about making the leap.
A Fast-Track to Gainful Employment
Contract roles offer a simplified, straightforward hiring process that takes hours, not months.
“Contractors are usually hired following a single webcam interview,” said Caitlin Wehniainen, president of On Cue Hire, a staffing firm that places contract technical professionals across a variety of industries.
Even better, contract roles aren’t limited to people with previous skills and experience.
Managers are willing to hire professionals from outside the industry or candidates who are interested in gaining experience in a particular area, explained Sam Brenner, founder and CEO of CRB Workforce, a firm that specializes in placing technology and marketing talent.
Even mid-level pros with three to five years of experience are well-positioned to land a contract role by simply highlighting their core skills, their exposure to AI tools and their eagerness to learn Brenner added. That’s a refreshing change.
Generally speaking, the contract hiring process focuses on immediate project needs rather than cultural alignment and involves fewer decision makers. Also, companies are aware that they need to act quickly, because the best talent isn’t available for long.
Strong Earning Potential
While full-time tech job offers are coming in lower, average hourly rates for contractors remain resilient ranging from $60 to $90.
To earn premium hourly rates of up to $160 (and fend off competition from near-shore tech contractors) however, you’ll need specialized expertise.
For instance, recent surveys show that cloud and infrastructure contractors command the highest average rates across both the U.S. and U.K. markets. Software engineers with AI skills, cybersecurity and product management also remain among the highest-paid contractor disciplines.
In fact, demand is so strong that highly skilled independent contractors are often able to take on several projects at once—using a practice known as job stacking—to maximize their earnings.
The good news is that with each new assignment comes the opportunity to acquire technical expertise, business acumen and stakeholder management skills that increase your earning power.
Of course, you may have to pay for your own insurance, sick pay and possibly self-employment taxes or set-up costs depending on whether you decide to work as a W-2 employee of a staffing firm, an independent contractor or Corp-to-Corp (C2C) arrangement. While you’ll need to factor in those costs, contract work usually beats unemployment in the long run.
Flexibility
Contract work gives you far more control over your hours and schedule and the type of work you do, making it much easier to set aside time to pursue certifications, side hustles or even a full-time job.
“You still have a job to do but there’s a little less commitment on both sides, allowing you to continue your full-time job search while contracting,” Brenner said.
Generally speaking, clients cannot restrict who else you work for, making it possible to stack multiple gigs. Contractors are also exempt from budget meetings, performance reviews and other administrative tasks, allowing you to focus on high value work and activities.
Expanded Networking Opportunities
Working as a tech contractor provides opportunities to meet new colleagues, recruiters and mentors and learn from a variety of experts as you move between different companies, teams and projects.
Moreover, proving yourself as a contractor is an effective way to secure encore assignments, referrals and opportunities to convert to full-time status.
Speedy Hands-On Skill Growth
By far, getting paid to acquire cutting edge technical skills, soft skills or industry experience is the greatest benefit of working as a contractor.
Contractors build hands-on skills and experience far more quickly than full-time employees by being exposed to diverse projects, new tools and varied work environments.
For instance, as companies race to deploy AI, CIOs are increasingly hiring hands-on senior engineers/managers on a contract basis to evaluate and streamline their existing technology stack Wehniainen says.
The contractor is charged with recommending which programs to keep and offboard and then hiring a small team of professionals with backgrounds in software engineering, network or systems administration to execute the plan.
Acquiring this type of experience helps you move up the ladder by teaching you how to make strategic decisions about investments, system scalability, ROI and the alignment between technology and business objectives.
If you’re looking to jumpstart a stalled career, professionals with any type of enterprise systems experience are needed to integrate AI into existing enterprise software stacks across manufacturing, aerospace and other industries, Brenner says.
His firm is also seeing robust demand for contract cloud security engineers and roles dealing with the build out of AI and cloud security infrastructure. Gaining that type of experience can yield a 10% to 15% increase in hourly pay or full-time salary premiums, depending on your depth of expertise.
If you haven’t considered contract work in the past, now is the time.
“There is absolutely zero downside to taking a contract position,” Brenner said. “In today’s job market, savvy tech job seekers are seeing the benefits of being open to both contract and full-time positions.”
