Pros & Cons of Contract Technical Writing
Pros
Contract technical writing works well for some people because:
- Contracting pays quite well. Hourly rates for contractors range from $30 to $60 (they can go higher in New York and San Francisco). This is higher than typical employee rates.
- Each completed contract goes on the writer’s resume.
- Contracting is eminently flexible, as the contractor is only bound to work the length of the contract. When a contract is over, the contractor is free to take off as much time as needed.
- Contracting allows the contractor a good chance of landing a telecommuting job, where the writer gets to work from home. This has many benefits, providing the children aren’t home also.
Cons
Contracting isn’t for everyone. Here are some other points to keep in mind when deciding whether or not to become a contractor:
- To succeed at contracting you need to be good at public relations and comfortable with selling yourself. The flexibility afforded by contracting can become a burden to the writer who is not able to chase down job leads to get another contract.
- Contractors must provide their own benefits — there are neither paid vacations nor sick days and they are responsible for their health insurance. This is why contractors command higher hourly rates than employees.
- Contractors have business–related expenses that employees do not have. Contractors maintain their own hardware, software, and writing library to stay current in the profession. This is another reason contractors are paid more per hour than employees.