Michael Minshew
Posted on
When getting a first-time job as a new dev, is temp contract work ideal or is it better to hold out for a true full-time job?
For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse
Top comments (8)
I think temp work is absolutely worth jumping into. It means you get experience without having to commit on your end.
Still ensure that you get paid decently and are generally not ripped off. This is definitely the territory where slimy or ignorant employers might want to pray on juniors or misunderstand the market for technical talent.
Thanks for the feedback, at this point I'm so bored and ready to get back to work that I'm almost willing to work at a code sweatshop lol but I thought I'd ask the community first. appreciate it.
Yeah go for it if you ask me!
Of course it's only been a few minutes since you posted it. Others might have different thoughts.
Temp work is absolutely fine. It seems to be true that "it's always easier to find work when you have work". Use the time to network, build the portfolio, or get paid to learn something new. It's about who you know, so try to make an impact and return favors with everyone you meet. You never know when a contractor you worked with years ago will refer you to a new client...
great points! thanks for the advice!
I graduated last december (2017) and found a position doing contract work the following month. I've been there a few months now and I just accepted another offer for a permanent full time position at a larger corporation which i start in 2 weeks.
My reasons for leaving so soon (i had wanted to be there for at least a year) include not enjoying the same perks that regular employees had and what i had in my previous internships. Also i am paid significantly (think $10k less) lower than the market rate for entry level devs in my area.
Bottomline, It was a coding sweatshop that gave me really good experience with being in a large project and wearing whatever hat was needed to get the work done. I did the coding, QA, dev-ops and gained a ton more experience compared to the previous two internships i had the previous year. I would become a better developer if i stay here longer but i also choose to earn a fair wage for my work.
My advice to you is, go for it at least for the experience you will gain. But also get paid what you're worth and never settle for less.
Thanks I appreciate the advice, congrats on the new job as well!
I've been job searching for a few months and do a little freelance. I see a bunch of IT temp agencies hiring for other companies but temp work wasn't that great in my previous industry and I've had issues with temp agencies in the past. Is the potential for immediate but short-term real work worth the trouble, am I misinformed on tech temp agencies/jobs or is it better to hold out as long as possible for a full-time job? thanks all.