Is the Rise of Contract Workers Killing Upward Mobility?
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Is the Rise of Contract Workers Killing Upward Mobility?
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Re: Is the Rise of Contract Workers Killing Upward Mobility?
#2Yes.
The problem is that automation will be taking even more jobs away in the near future.
It’s going to be a hard transition for people.
Re: Is the Rise of Contract Workers Killing Upward Mobility?
#3Well, duh. Is that really an article from today, or did something from a decade or two back get recycled.
Re: Is the Rise of Contract Workers Killing Upward Mobility?
#4Look to Japan for an example of a working underclass of part-timers / contractors and their lack of stability, mobility and career prospects vs full timers.
Japan's unusual hiring practices in large traditional corporations (Straight from university or bust) doesn't help.
Re: Is the Rise of Contract Workers Killing Upward Mobility?
#5I've done a lot of contract work as a software engineer over the past 5 years. It's a good way to experiment with a lot of different companies and industries.
It's generally true that contractors can't get promoted within the company. It's not unusual to see 40+ year old contractors still working as engineers.
The money is great but you really need to have a low risk investment strategy on the side... I don't think you can get rich from contracting but you can have a very decent retirement.
Contracting is good if you're burned out with startups that lead nowhere. It's the closest I've felt to being my own boss.
Re: Is the Rise of Contract Workers Killing Upward Mobility?
#6I've done a lot of contract work as a software engineer over the past 5 years. It's a good way to experiment with a lot of different companies and industries. It's generally true that contractors can't get promoted within the company. It's not unusual to see 40+ year old contractors still working as engineers. The money is great but you really need to have a low risk investment strategy on the side... I don't think y…
Contracting as a sw engineer is one thing.. contracting as a warehouse worker is the real problem
Re: Is the Rise of Contract Workers Killing Upward Mobility?
#7I've done a lot of contract work as a software engineer over the past 5 years. It's a good way to experiment with a lot of different companies and industries. It's generally true that contractors can't get promoted within the company. It's not unusual to see 40+ year old contractors still working as engineers. The money is great but you really need to have a low risk investment strategy on the side... I don't think y…
As a contractor in the UK I feel like I have better pay and prospects than 90% of staff members.
Not 'promotion', but more respect for my expertise and more choice about my working practices.
'Promotion' is not something I've often observed happening in any of the software departments I've worked with of late.
It does scare me when people say things like "40+ contractors still working as engineers", as if 40 is old. I'm 40 next year and less than halfway through my working life (according to the government, obviously I'd like to retire early).
Re: Is the Rise of Contract Workers Killing Upward Mobility?
#8I've done a lot of contract work as a software engineer over the past 5 years. It's a good way to experiment with a lot of different companies and industries. It's generally true that contractors can't get promoted within the company. It's not unusual to see 40+ year old contractors still working as engineers. The money is great but you really need to have a low risk investment strategy on the side... I don't think y…
Contracting as a sw engineer is one thing.. contracting as a warehouse worker is the real problem
I was about to make this exact argument, but on inspection, the authors of the article are making a more subtle point. Their claim is that extensive use of even "white collar" contractors may cause long term harm to organisations, projects and staff.
Re: Is the Rise of Contract Workers Killing Upward Mobility?
#9I've done a lot of contract work as a software engineer over the past 5 years. It's a good way to experiment with a lot of different companies and industries. It's generally true that contractors can't get promoted within the company. It's not unusual to see 40+ year old contractors still working as engineers. The money is great but you really need to have a low risk investment strategy on the side... I don't think y…
As a contractor in the UK I feel like I have better pay and prospects than 90% of staff members. Not 'promotion', but more respect for my expertise and more choice about my working practices. 'Promotion' is not something I've often observed happening in any of the software departments I've worked with of late. It does scare me when people say things like "40+ contractors still working as engineers", as if 40 is old.…
Don't get scared by peoples labels. There is nothing you SHOULD. There are choices and consequences. If you make a good living and enjoy what you do, then why suddenly question it.
Re: Is the Rise of Contract Workers Killing Upward Mobility?
#10I've done a lot of contract work as a software engineer over the past 5 years. It's a good way to experiment with a lot of different companies and industries. It's generally true that contractors can't get promoted within the company. It's not unusual to see 40+ year old contractors still working as engineers. The money is great but you really need to have a low risk investment strategy on the side... I don't think y…
When I was contracting in IT I liked that I wasn't looking for promotion, I could just get on with doing what I was good at. I haven't got the skills to be a project manager, head of department, CTO etc. Many of the permanent staff were always looking to their next cushy job in the company and were laden down with politics and not being constrained by that was great. I also liked moving to new companies, learning new ways of doing things and being exposed to different environments.
Long term I've no idea if it was the right choice but it certainly suited how my mind worked.