Would you consider contract-to-hire employment? Software QA/Test Engineer Resume

ROB DAVIS, P.E.


Q11: Would you consider contract-to-hire employment?

The short answer is "yes", I would consider it.

The long answer is...

The myth of full-time employment: Are you saying there is nothing more desirable than "permanent" employment? Are you saying I'm going to have a "permanent, full-time" position? Chances are, what you're trying to sell me is a 'contract'! You know very well that "full time", "permanent" and "perm" are euphemisms for a 2+ year contracts at low rates! And this low rate gets even lower, if you take into account large, hidden losses, e.g. zero per diem money and zero overtime money!

The myth of permanency: As you already know, in today's economy there is no permanency. In today's economy, reorganizations and layoffs are so common that they're not even in the news any more! "Permanent" jobs, especially "permanent" jobs in software engineering, are either being eliminated; or sent to India, China or Russia where wages and salaries are lower!

As Small Business Week concluded recently, "There is no permanency at small firms (under 50 employees) and very small firms (under 20 employees). Small firms shed jobs at a faster rate than large companies, and are far more likely to go out of business altogether. Employment at small companies is comparatively unstable, and therefore provides an unreliable foundation for 'permanent' employment."

Of course, there are exceptions. Sometimes you come across "permanent" jobs that have lasted longer than two years. However, they're not the rule; only some of the exceptions to this rule.

The myth of the 40-hour workweek: You're saying my workweek would be 40 hours per week. However, the truth is, in "permanent, full-time" positions, we, engineers, are a) expected to work a lot of overtime, b) work a lot of overtime, and c) don't even get paid for our overtime!

In 1926, Henry Ford adopted a 40-hour workweek. By the 1960s, the benefits of the 40-hour week were accepted by Corporate America. In 1962 the Chamber of Commerce published a pamphlet praising the productivity gains of reduced hours. However, Silicon Valley didn't get the pamphlet. As of 2008, my engineer friends in "permanent" positions are working between 60 and 88 hours per week!

The myth of big benefits: Are you selling me any "benefits"? Are the benefits really "great"? Paid health insurance is $300/mo, or ($300/200 hrs =)$1.50/hr. Annual vacation is ($30/hr * 1 wk/52 wks =) $0.58/hr. Therefore, benefits are ($1.50 + 0.58 =) $2.08/hr. Why would anyone take a large (i.e. up to $30.00/hr) rate cut, as a "perm" employee, in return for small benefits like paid health insurance and annual vacation, valued at $2.08/hr? Do the math, and realize the real good opportunities (for me) are contracts with high rates, not "perm" positions with "great" benefits!

The reality of large, hidden losses: Are you selling me any "benefits"? In my experience, the lack of per diem and the lack of overtime money represent far greater losses in my pocket book than any benefits that any of your customers are able to provide to me. Their additional benefits (e.g. maternity benefits) usually don't benefit me either, because I can't use them.

Why would you consider taking a "perm" position? You do have fears, if you ask questions like this! Perhaps you FEAR that you won't be able to sell your customer on the idea that I CAN stay with them in the next 2+ years. Of course I CAN, but your question also indicates to me you haven't read my resume. Had you read my resume, you would have noticed that most of my jobs have lasted longer than 2 years. Read my resume. Eliminate your fears. If you're full of fears, you shouldn't be representing me!

If you ask questions like this, I think to myself, "You're the recruiter, I'm not! I shouldn't spend any of my time to recruit you! I cannot afford to spend 15 to 30 minutes of my time, over the telephone, to recruit you!"

If you ask questions like this, I think to myself, "You picked my resume, I didn't. Be grateful to Lady Luck that, by finding my resume, you've found a good match, AND received a quick and painless YES from me. Why do you want to look a gift horse in the mouth? Why are you questioning me? Why are you making an effort to fail, instead of succeed? Why are you making an effort to get a NO from me, instead of a YES?"

Perm positions are better for you! As you know, when you're a recruiter, "perm" positions help YOU more than they help me, because those who recruit for "perm" positions earn large fees of $20,000 to $25,000, almost overnight! Therefore, instead of questioning me, you should be grateful that I'm interested in helping 'you' to earn a quick fee of $25,000!

Exception: One exception is an existing client. In other words, if I receive a good offer from a client that I've completed a successful contract with, then I will consider the offer carefully.

Resume

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