>This question reflects ignorance on my part, but I recall someone saying that "there are no stupid questions" <g>, so here goes:
>
>When a job is advertised as a contract position, does this mean the company is expecting to pay independent consultant rates, or just what they would pay a full-time employee? There can be a big difference here, as I've seen rates for consultants from $45-$90/hr and up. I am sure this can vary from company to company, but I'd like to know what the general understanding is. I have a possibility of doing some moonlighting work and would like to have a rough idea of what to charge. TIA.

Hi Joel,

Yes, I'd say a contract position means a consulting arrangement. This would generally imply working on a 1099 and getting no benefits, plus an implicit expectation that the job won't last indefinitely (as if "regular" employment really offers any greater security). So the conversion between consulting rates and regular wages is not so straightforward. The range you gave of $45-$90/hr sounds about right, but you may want to look at some recent UT threads on this subject. With the present state of the economy, I would expect that it will be tough to hold out for the high end, but it depends on the level of work to be done. Also bear in mind that companies often expect to go through third parties for contractors, so you can really improve the rate that you get to see by avoiding the middle man.

Mike