[Sigia-l] RE: is it just me, or is it really hard to find IAs

[Dave]

On Apr 1, 2005 12:34 PM, mfg345 at aol.com <mfg345 at aol.com> wrote:
> Maybe that is the debate many IAs have and why it is hard to find
> qualified IAs - Why would they leave one contract/freelance position
> for another?

the whole reason for contracting is to be temporary, otherwise you
should be perm?
The advantages of contracting sorta go out the window if you stay put
don't ya think. Also, most states of laws about how long they can keep
you on as a continuous contractor (as the state looses employee tax
money).

But back to you ...
Does your current contract position ...
1. pay you a rate at least 35% higher than what you think the salary
position should be? This is to cover the cost of benefits that you
have to now pay yourself (unless you get those through a spouse?)
2. What about 401k? transit check (NYC pre-tax commute)
3. Lastly, and I know some perm folks don't get this but they should.
Is this company paying for your education and career development? I
know some freelance sitatuations where this does happen, but this is
rare. I.e. would they send you to the IA Summit, or is tht on your own
dime? (would they even pay for your "time off" if you went on your own
dime?)
As an employee and an employer, I take VERY seriously (especially for
designers) the requirement of career development. As an employee
(often searching in my career) I ask up front what the budget is. Not
some vague sense of, "Oh, we send people to conferences.", but what is
the per employee budget for the department I'm going into. AND as an
employer I have fought hard to make sure that education, inspiration,
and extra-enterprise collaboration/communication is a key part of the
benefits package I delivery.

If I started on a contract and have been there 9-12months I would
seriously start talking to your supervisor about converting that into
a full-time gig, if it is so good that you don't look around any more.

BTW, just to clarify, I am all for freelance/contractors working on
temporary projects that are small in scale and well defined. As George
described often it is a project that the company doesn't need to
maintain a person for permanently. I was talking more about situations
where the position is either at an agency (like the one mentioned that
started the thread), or where IA/UX is a primary requirement for the
organization.

-- dave

-- 
David Heller
E: dheller (at) gmail (dot) com
W: www (dot) synapticburn (dot) com