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Re: IT contracting in the US
Contracting here (IT wise) is basically setting up your own business and getting your own clients. Ie running a proper business. You need connections to do this or you need to be prepared to have some kind of model (i.e starve to gain work) where you can get into a network and then take the opportunities that arise. Most independent companies (re: contractors) don't do that well unless you know people. Its that simple. I'd suggest taking a permie job and then look to go on your own after you understand the culture over here. Most people who do this are also close to retirement from what I have seen. (IT wise).
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Re: IT contracting in the US
6 weeks for me here in the US in Financial services - started on 20 - the problem is that my co-workers seem to think that 3 weeks out of the office is unusual!
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Re: IT contracting in the US
Originally Posted by DexterBerkeley
(Post 11842257)
I work in software sales selling to both developers and operations, as such I get to meet a lot of IT folks around the US. While I'm only speaking to a subset of the field, I rarely come across contractors. A lot of people are either permanent, or work for a body shopping outsourcer. Different to the UK where it was very common to be working with contractors at my prospects.
The exception to this is I do come across some folks who would describe themselves as individual consultants and have some specific skill set, this is rare from what I have seen. An example might be "Continuous Delivery expert for BSS in telco". Hope this helps. I'm in IT as a permanent employee of a very large global company. My software development group writes in-house applications and has a large number of large software projects going on at any one time. We keep a large core staff of permanent employees for purposes of stability and holding on to knowledge. We supplement with outside contractors as needed (which over the past 10 years has been constantly) but these are usually permanent employees of other companies - "bodyshoppers" as you put it. We do occasionally use some high-profile contractors who truly are self-employed. These people are industry experts. Some have written books in their areas of expertise. The big difference between the UK and US in this regard is healthcare. The UK has universal healthcare through the NHS so it's easier to be an independent contractor as you are not dependent on an employer providing health insurance. In the US, most people need employer-provided health insurance to be able to afford healthcare. |
Re: IT contracting in the US
Originally Posted by kins
(Post 11843385)
It really does vary. I've never had less than 23 days per year and in my last job I was on 28 days, but I've turned down jobs because they only offered 15 days PTO per year.
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Re: IT contracting in the US
Originally Posted by chesterton_fan
(Post 11840941)
...
(I'm also aware that the tax benefits of being a contractor in the US are generally non-existent, and that the lack of healthcare benefits is a very big deal.) Thanks, CF and this article: Currently on 1099, Should i start S Corp for my self? For the lack of healthcare issue, now that we have the ACA, you can get your own healthcare at a predictable price. True, most companies pay this for you but it's all just numbers you need to compare. I was a full-time (W-2) employee in the IT industry for over 30 years, making close to $200k/yr in the last years of full-time work. In 2013, I formed an S-Corp with a colleague and now work on projects 'by the hour'. I'm currently charging $125/hr, a number I'm learning is way lower than I could charge. But even at 125/hr, working 2080 hours a year, I'd receive $260k/hr. I pay $7k/yr for an ACA compliant health plan. But the big advantage, financially, is not just the higher hourly rate, but the tax benefits as identified in those articles above. I write off all my mileage (driving to clients), my cell phone, my office 365 subscription; my laptop(s), and all my toys; I pay myself home-office rent (which does bite me back as personal income); etc. On the downside, I don't get stock options, or retirement contributions. In my case, though, the biggest advantage is that I have great control over my schedule. I'm currently working only about 20-30 hrs/wk, by choice, and also setting my own daily schedule - nothing before 11am, and quite a bit of work in the evening (which I prefer). After 30 years of being a 'permie', I'm so happy not to have to deal with company bs ... meetings, policies, etc. I work; I get paid; it's that simple. I was well-served by being a full-time employee; worked in some great companies, with great people, on great projects, and did well with stock options and benefits. But at this stage of my career, I just want to keep myself busy and work with people I like (I just fired my biggest client because they kept ignoring my advice ... it was great to have the freedom to tell them to go find someone else). |
Re: IT contracting in the US
Originally Posted by markcst
(Post 11843466)
Contracting here (IT wise) is basically setting up your own business and getting your own clients. Ie running a proper business. You need connections to do this or you need to be prepared to have some kind of model (i.e starve to gain work) where you can get into a network and then take the opportunities that arise. Most independent companies (re: contractors) don't do that well unless you know people. Its that simple. I'd suggest taking a permie job and then look to go on your own after you understand the culture over here. Most people who do this are also close to retirement from what I have seen. (IT wise).
I will also add; I took 6 months off after my last full-time job, and now work a much reduced schedule. I never cared about the limited time off as a permie, since my work was always great. But now I'm making up for it! |
Re: IT contracting in the US
Originally Posted by mrken30
(Post 11844363)
Did the 28 days include holidays and sick? I naively took a job with 25 days not realizing there was no EIB or extra sick time. I also have to use 7 days a year for compulsory holidays. My last job was more like the UK 3 weeks vacation+ 10 days sick, + 12 holidays. , but no rollover, it was a use it or lose it policy.
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Re: IT contracting in the US
One other point I'd add about contracting / being self-employed; I recently applied for a home equity loan and found that they would not consider my income at all since I had less than 2 years of operating history as a corporation / self-employed. It didn't matter in my case because my g/f's income was sufficient to cover the requirements, but - had we been younger / earlier in our careers, this could have been a big issue. One more reason to be a full-time employee as you get started.
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Re: IT contracting in the US
Originally Posted by mrken30
(Post 11844363)
Did the 28 days include holidays and sick? I naively took a job with 25 days not realizing there was no EIB or extra sick time. I also have to use 7 days a year for compulsory holidays. My last job was more like the UK 3 weeks vacation+ 10 days sick, + 12 holidays. , but no rollover, it was a use it or lose it policy.
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Re: IT contracting in the US
Originally Posted by MarylandNed
(Post 11848064)
I've never heard of salaried employees having to do that unless they are in jobs that require them to work some holidays (e.g. my wife has that issue as she is a nurse).
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Re: IT contracting in the US
Originally Posted by mrken30
(Post 11848069)
That's exactly what I thought until I got a job in healthcare. I am an exempt employee and have to take public holidays out of my 25 days PTO. I work in IT. It has to be the worst benefits going. I just took the view it's safer than the HI Tech sector at the moment and my commute went from an hour to 15 mins.
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Re: IT contracting in the US
Originally Posted by username.exe
(Post 11848129)
Do not undervalue time spent not commuting. It's making a huuuge difference to my quality of life, I love spending an extra couple of hours per day with my kids.
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Re: IT contracting in the US
Originally Posted by username.exe
(Post 11848129)
Do not undervalue time spent not commuting. It's making a huuuge difference to my quality of life, I love spending an extra couple of hours per day with my kids.
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Re: IT contracting in the US
I've started contracting myself over the last 2 years, still working full time though. And i'll echo what everyone else has said. If you want to be a self-employed contractor, you have to know people, its that simple, you cant do it by yourself from scratch unless you get incredibly lucky.
Its better to work for a company build contacts, work on the side, be extremely reliable and nice (being nice is very important for IT people); and that way you'll build a network. I had someone i worked with for 6 months, 2 years later they called me to ask to do project work for them and it started from there, guess I make an impression on them. Two years later, we are now talking about partnering up for our own web design/hosting company in the next few months. |
Re: IT contracting in the US
Originally Posted by ldollard
(Post 11859191)
I've started contracting myself over the last 2 years, still working full time though. And i'll echo what everyone else has said. If you want to be a self-employed contractor, you have to know people, its that simple, you cant do it by yourself from scratch unless you get incredibly lucky.
Its better to work for a company build contacts, work on the side, be extremely reliable and nice (being nice is very important for IT people); and that way you'll build a network. I had someone i worked with for 6 months, 2 years later they called me to ask to do project work for them and it started from there, guess I make an impression on them. Two years later, we are now talking about partnering up for our own web design/hosting company in the next few months. |
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