What is the end date on your contract? Yes, there is a double standard! Contractor, Software QA/Test Engineer

   ROB DAVIS, P.E.

Q42: What is the end date on your contract?

The short answer is, my current contract doesn't have an end date.

The long answer is, if you want to be a client of a Bank and buy a certificate of deposit (i.e. a CD or GIC), you have to sign a fixed term contract written in favor of the Bank. And, once you sign that contract, you aren't able to get out of it, without paying the Bank a fat penalty for early withdrawal.

If you want to be a customer of a Corporation and buy their (wireless or other) service, you have to sign a fixed term contract written in favor of the Corporation. And, once you sign that contract, you aren't able to get out of it, without paying the Corporation a fat penalty for early termination.

The MYTH is that, we, contractors, get similar contracts when we provide services for the same Bank, or same Corporation.

The FACT is that no, we don't. Why? Because there exists a double standard. It isn't in any recruiting manual, but recruiters are encouraged NOT to subject Corporations to the same high contract standards that we, Corporate customers, endure. And when you observe recruiters, they do treat Corporations more leniently.

Based on this double standard, when you're a contractor, are your contracts written in favor of you? NO, they never are. Do your Corporate clients ever pay you anything for early termination? NO, they never do. Do your contracts ever SAY anything about how long your services are needed? NO, they never do.

My current contract doesn't have an end date.

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