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As the economy worsens, contract jobs are becoming more and more numerous. Offering contract jobs saves larger companies the time of looking for and hiring new employees as well as the money that a regular employee would receive in benefits. Also, a contract job may be seen as a sort of trial by fire, after which a contract employee may be offered a more permanent position.

Due to  months of searching, your first concrete job offer has come in. It’s a contract job that you wouldn’t have considered a year ago, but you’ve decided to accept. Six months with a reputable firm seems like a safe haven in turbulent times. Besides, it’s a foot in the door and could lead to more.

Not all contract positions have long-term potential, but some do.  Employers offer contract work to be upfront and honest.

“They’re letting people know that they have some work now and could down the road, but they’re not sure.

“Generally speaking, they’d rather hire people as full-time employees.  “It’s a bit cheaper than paying contractors and it promotes a better foundation for a company. That being said, you have to be a bit lean and mean these days for locals and internationals.

Accepting a contract position puts you in the ranks of the self-employed, for the duration of the agreement at least.
The major difference between a contract job and regular employment is the duration of the job, which is only until the project is complete. Below distincts type of contract jobs.

Nature of Contract Jobs
Contract jobs are not permanent positions, but that doesn’t mean that the job won’t take weeks, months or sometimes years to complete. A contract job could be something as simple as organizing an office, which could take days, or as complicated as building a skyscraper, a project that will take years. The longer the contract, often the more money involved to pay the workers and to cover other expenses.

Temps
The most common sort of contract employee are temps, or temporary employees. An organization that needs to fill temporary openings will often use a staffing agency, which is a company that keeps lists of employees who work in a certain type of field. Substitute teachers, secretaries, office workers and others can all be temps. If an opening needs to be filled, a temp agency will call up any of those people who are on the list and ask them if they’d like to take the temporary position that’s currently available. The staffing agency simply goes down the list until finding someone willing to take the job for its client.

Freelancers
Freelance workers, like those the name is taken from, are mercenaries. These are often small agencies, or independent workers who will do work on an assignment by assignment basis for a company. Writers, private security and advertising executives may be freelance workers. Freelancers are those who usually have some skill that is desired for a specific project, which is what makes them different from temps, who usually do unskilled labor or office work. 

In the shifting sands of Canada’s labour market, a clear trend is emerging: the rise of contract work.

Contract jobs have surged since 1997 and increased between 2005 and 2009 despite the downturn, a Statistics Canada paper released Friday shows. Last year, nearly 1 million Canadian workers held this type of job.

While it’s a lifestyle that offers a lot of advantages, the most obvious drawback is the lack of a steady paycheque and benefits. You also have to remember that although you make your own schedule, you always have to be aware of new opportunities to sell yourself.

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Canada’s shifting job market: the rise of contract work

Marisol Diaz is  Business developer and author specializing in  helping clients create fulfilling and meaningful career opportunities for local and international trained professionals. Get help creating your own exciting career opportunity in Canada with a step-by-step books and  guides, seminars and Workshops such as “Steps to Starting Your Own Business” in Canada. Check also   Business, Jobs & Careers    products