Sometimes when you and a client have been going steady for a while, they
may ask for more commitment. They’re not talking another six-month
renewal; this offer comes on bended knee. That’s right: they may present
you with an offer to sign on full-time.
Shocking though it may be, the hardcore freelancers of BuncoSquad won’t
advise you to outright reject the offer. Really. Every person’s situation
is different, and you have to do what’s right for you. Here are a few
ideas to help you make up your mind:
Know thyself.
If you’re a career consultant through and through (or you just can’t stand
your current assignment) then this is not the best of career moves. Cut it
short and courteously decline. It will save the client time and energy
wooing you, and save you the frustration of people constantly offering you
something you don’t want.
We all have a price. It helps to know what it would take for you to
convert to full-time. Keep a list, and make note of it when the offers
roll in. Even if you’re looking to go full-time, not every shop is
suitable.
Know thy suitor.
The person making the offer, how do they treat others? Is this someone you
can trust with the sensitive dealings of a full-time offer? (Read: can you
trust them to maintain your privacy, and to not skewer you the first chance
they get?)
In that same vein, is this a person who can keep all of these promises
they’re making? Unless you’re talking with Bob Smith of the
Bob Smith company, just about any promise can be overturned. Those
closed-door, secret-handshake deals won’t survive the next reorg, management
shift, or corporate upheaval. -or even the next time your manager finds a
new favorite. Beware anyone who is hesitant to commit to any arrangements:
if they can’t put it in writing, they can’t follow through.
Know thine environment.
There are some career shifts that are very tough to handle when you’re an
independent. Who’s to say you can’t use a few years of salaried life as a
launchpad for the next chapter in your freelance career? Make note of any
career potential and training you may receive. Some companies offer
tuition reimbursement for that extra degree you’ve been pondering. (This
typically comes with a price, such as a written commitment that you stick
with the company for some time after you graduate.) Even the right title,
held long enough, can serve as valuable resume-bait for your exit.
Know thy job market.
No, it’s no longer the mid-1990’s; but nor is it the desolate wasteland
that people may think. If you’ve been riding high on
for a while now, then it’s likely you’ve lost some contacts or are
otherwise less fit for a job hunt. Clients know this, and paint
less-than-rosy pictures of the outside world as part of their sales pitch.
“The market’s really tough; are you sure you’ll find someting?” You don’t
have to take their word for it if you already know for yourself.
Some clients will press the “All Contractors Must Go!” myth as a pressure
tactic. Don’t fall for it. Companies are always in search of outside
help; even after they pitch their current contract resources, they hire
more within a few months. They sometimes re-hire the same people as before.
Whether or not you take it, thank your client for the offer. In some
shops, a desire to keep you around long-term is a hefty compliment.
In our next installment, we’ll cover tips for those who decide to pack up
and move to the Land of Full-Time Employment.