I found out the hard way that 37 years of experience can actually work against you if a hiring manager presumes that you are "not qualified" for the job.
Based on the inquiries I get from recruiters, fixed-term contract jobs still far outnumber full-time permanent positions. I suspect that hiring managers want the flexibility to reduce headcount after the fixed-term assignments are over. Occasionally, a hiring manager will offer the opportunity to "audition" for the part on a contract-to-permanent basis.
You see, my wife and I have sat at the dinner table to juggle the household budget after the 7 layoffs that lasted anywhere from 3 to 11 months. I took contract jobs just to put food on the table, clothes on our backs, and a roof over our heads -- usually for an hourly rate that was roughly two-thirds of what I made as a full-time employee. On the other hand, I did take home about $500 more each paycheck by not paying the pre-tax deductions (eg, 401(k) contributions and health insurance premiums) that full-time employees did to cover “benefits”.
The take home pay from a contract job usually paid the monthly bills. If we were lucky, we saved enough to pay the larger bills (eg, insurance premiums or property taxes).
Perhaps those concerns about money can be a blessing in disguise. As we grow accustomed to pinching our pennies. we adopt a lifestyle that we can afford in retirement.
Because of hard work (and a little faith), the good times are back and the future looks bright.
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