Advance Your Career in a Contract Role

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When looking for a new job opportunity, do you quickly dismiss contract assignments? Pause for a moment and ask yourself, why? Are you guilty of having any common misconceptions? For example, do you think contract roles:

  • Are part time
  • Are short-term
  • Pay poorly
  • Lack good benefits
  • Lack job security
  • Lead to negative perceptions of being a job hopper

Issues such as these are valid concerns, but it is important to remember that the temporary employment situation has evolved over time. These preconceived notions are not as common as they once were, especially when applying for positions requiring more experience and when working with reputable companies.

Change is constant. Even jobs classified as “permanent” rarely come with a guarantee. Through its research, the American Staffing Association (ASA) has found that of all temporary / contract employees surveyed:

  • 73% work full time
  • 64% accept a contract role to fill a gap or help them land a new role
  • 20% choose temporary / contract work because of the flexibility

Perception is situation dependent, but it is important to note how a resume filled with contract work is more acceptable in certain industries and professions than others. Due to the nature of the work, temporary, contract or leased employees are commonly utilized on government assignments and throughout the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry.

5 Benefits of Contract Work

If your reservations have caused you to overlook a temporary or contract role, you have missed out on a plethora of valuable career opportunities! In fact, a significant portion of our country’s workforce is made up of temporary and contract employees. According to the previously mentioned ASA research, America’s staffing companies employ about 2.4 million temporary and contract employees during an average week, and nearly 13 million in 2023! 

Contract work can be incredibly beneficial to your career in a number of ways. For example, it can help you:

1. Enhance Your Resume

It can be challenging to secure a new position if you do not already possess the required experience in for your desired job. Contract work can provide candidates with opportunities to gain a wide variety of valuable work experience.  This can be an effective strategy when building up your resume, particularly for young professionals and those making a career transition.

2. Learn

Do you have a skills gap? A contract assignment can be an exceptional learning opportunity.

Even if you are performing similar roles with each new contract assignment, each organization has its own teaching methods, cultures and work styles. The variance enables you to become more adaptable and allows you to expand your skill sets. If you have interest in building a career within a specific specialty, a contract position can be ideal for gaining experience in the kind of company you intend to target in the future.

3. Network

As with any job, you will have a chance to meet a lot of new people when you work in a contract position, including other professionals in your field. This is something that should be taken advantage of, as crafting a strong network can help you find new opportunities down the road and provide you with support as you progress down your career path. Additionally, some of your coworkers and managers on a contract assignment may make excellent references when you look for your next position, making forging strong relationship even more valuable.

4. Test the Waters

For professionals interested in making a career change, a temporary assignment could allow you to test out a new role, company or field. While working in the role, you will be subjected to the same level of accountability as anyone working directly for the company, giving you a chance to explore what the opportunity has to offer and determine whether you want to make a permanent switch. If so, you can proceed with experience under your belt. If not, you can choose another path.

5. Secure Permanent Employment

In some instances, contract employees are offered permanent positions with the company if they perform well on the job. Some businesses lease or hire temporary employees as a form of a working interview. This “try before you buy” method gives both the candidate and the company the opportunity to work together before making a more long term commitment.

Advance Your Career with RealStreet!

A contract assignment can be excellent for your career! If you’re interested in seeking out new opportunities in the architecture, engineering or construction fields, the professionals at RealStreet can help. Contact us to learn more about our available jobs and how our services can help you!

RealStreet saved us more than once with temporary help on some of our most demanding construction projects, particularly when we needed experienced, responsible and professional individuals on such short notice. We were particularly grateful for the Quality Control Manager (QCM) you were able to provide while our full-time QCM was on short-term disability, at the Read More…

Michael S. Shevitz, LEED Green Associate, Vice President

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