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Subject:Re: Downside of contracting From:JIMCHEVAL -at- AOL -dot- COM Date:Fri, 19 Sep 1997 18:19:56 -0400
In a message dated 97-09-19 17:03:58 EDT, trocco -at- NAVIS -dot- COM writes:
<< I am afraid that as a contractor I will be forced to take anything that
comes along just to be working rather than being able to pick and choose the
companies and
technologies that I am interested in. >>
"Force" is a relative concept here. If you're careful to keep savings and
not think that the money you make in a month is also the money you spend in a
month, you're less likely to get in so tight a bind. Think in terms of
having a "second self" who is unemployed for at least a few months and will
need the income you might be tempted to spend on frills or splurges.
Even then, if you're demanding, things can get tight. Depends on your
targets and priorities. I'm an actor, so I'll hold out a long time for either
off-site work or work that allows me a flexible schedule. That's put me in a
bind a few times. But at the last minute I always got lucrative, stimulating
work. And Huckelberry Finn schedules.
Also, 'skills' is a key word here. Always be learning, always be ready to
try something new. People will give a lot more leeway to someone who knows
something (useful) no one else does. They're also more likely to give them
the newer, more challenging opportunities.
Jim C.
Los Angeles
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Visit Chez Jim: Jim Chevallier's Home Page - http://www.gis.net/~jimcheval
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