Frequently Asked Questions - Applicants
“I’ve been a permanent employee for a number of years and am thinking about doing contracting. What things do I need to consider to make such a change?”
That’s a good question and the answer will vary depending on what your employment status is actually going to be. Typically contractors and consultants make more per hour than permanent employees do. Many times you will be paid for overtime. First of all, you will need to decide if you want to be totally independent, 1099, corporation to corporation, or if you are going to be working for a consulting or contracting agency where you would be on a W2 and a direct employee of that agency. If you do decide to work corp. to corp. or on a 1099, you will be responsible for payment of all federal/state income taxes, social security taxes, plus any additional taxes and fees required during the project. You will also need to provide workers compensation insurance during the term of the agreement. Basically, you are running your own business and would need to charge more per hour to take care of these additional expenses. When you are on a W2 your agency takes care of the tax issues and will generally have some other incentives included. 1st St. NW Inc. welcomes both scenarios.
“Do you do permanent placement too?”
Yes, we also do permanent or direct placement. We also have situations arise where you would be able to work at a client of ours for six months and if everything is going well you may have the opportunity to become a direct or permanent employee.
“How can 1st St. NW find me a better opportunity?” or “Why should I use a staffing firm, when I can find a job on my own?”
Just as you are the expert in your chosen profession, we are the experts in ours. We specialize in finding what your needs and wants are and matching those with our clients needs and wants. Rather than searching through the employment ads weekly and sending resumes to a bunch of different companies, all you need to do with 1st St. NW is give one of our recruiting specialists a call and let them know what you are looking for. We will match your skills with our database of hundreds of employers and narrow down the selection to only a few potential employers. We are also in a neutral position where we can give you information on what you should be earning, what technological areas you should be on the look out for, and what companies are on the rise and those on the decline.
“How much do you charge to find me a job?”
Absolutely nothing! All fees are paid by our clients.
“When is a good time to start talking to a recruiter?”
Now. Whether you are looking at this time or not, you should always know how to contact a recruiter. Find a recruiter that understands what your needs and wants are. Most importantly, find a recruiter that you can trust. A good recruiter is not going to just want to talk to you when you are looking for a job, but will be there to answer questions about market conditions, earning potential, how to write a resume, etc. Many companies let people go with little to no warning, so it’s always good to be prepared. Remember, just because you are talking to a recruiter does not necessarily mean you are looking to leave your current employer. You need to be informed as there are a lot of options out there.