>Hmmm... I'm going to have to think long and hard before changing jobs to a recruiter like RHIC. It sounds like they get you to accept permanent employee pay, but then let you go as soon as the contract is up. Where's the benefit of that over becoming an independent? (That's not a rhetorical question). My current job is locked in as permanent, but of course, that's only if the company survives.

I've never been on my own as a contractor. I've worked as an employee for large corporations, in state government, for a consultant-type body shop that actually gave me over 6 months of bench time in a five year span, and now again for a large corporation. I had one span of 9 months for a contractor who provided no benifits (but paid accordingly).

My preference is for the large corporation. My reasons obviously apply only to me. Your goals, etc. may be different and would result in a different choice.

1. I want a life outside my job. As an independant you need to work enough to maintain your chosen standard of living, market yourself for the next contract, provide for your own training, etc. As an employee, those concerns are minimized (not, in today's market, eliminated). I can take classes to upgrade my skills on their money (sometimes on their time). During my 9 month independantish phase, taking time off for vacation or sick days left me feeling that I was costing myself a lot of money.

2. Benefits. I mentioned the training opportunities earlier. Plus, sick days, vacation, holdidays are taken guilt free. More important are the health benefits. Due to our prior medical histories, neither my wife nor I could find medical and/or life insurance at anywhere near an affordable rate.

3. "The group". I enjoy the social interactions of being part of a larger organization. I also appreciate that there is someone two offices (I'm lucky, we aren't in cubes) down who can be my guru and someone else two offices the other way who looks at me as their guru. As a 'hired gun' I had more problems fitting in with the crowd.

4. Stability.
SET RANT ON

The rampant greed of the people who run corporate America have gone out of their way to ensure the employee loyalty is a thing of the past.  Companies which announce record profits one day and cost-cutting measures the next (frequently inflating the value of their own bonus plans) could easily have turned me Communist if I didn't already know that worked even worse.

SET RANT OFF

Given that no job is safe even in a robust economy, I have a (perhaps unjustified) feeling of security and stability that I wouldn't have as an independent. That feeling is important to me as I've gotten older.



As I said, these are my personal reasons for not pursuing the independent path. Those who can do it successfully have earned their rewards, and my admiration.