Top reasons IT professionals choose career independence

The July 4th holiday is this week, and in the spirit of that holiday, Robert Half Technology asked over 2,200 IT consultants what they like best about career independence.  IT consultants responding to the survey said choosing their own projects and working for a variety of firms were the top reasons they enjoyed being consultants. Additionally, 95 percent of those surveyed said choosing projects they work on was somewhat or very important, and 93 percent said choosing clients they work for was somewhat or very important.

Here are five benefits of working as a consultant:

·        Flexibility. Work/life balance is a high priority for many, but is often difficult to achieve in a full-time job. Project work provides the freedom to customize your schedule to suit your needs. It’s the ideal solution for those who want to spend more time with their families or focus on a hobby or educational interest.

·        Professional growth.  Project work can expose you to a variety of business environments and interesting engagements that allow you to hone existing skills and develop new ones.

·        Full-time connections. If your ultimate goal is a full-time position, you can explore a variety of work environments before making a career decision.

·        Reduced financial pressures. Project work can ease some of your financial concerns. You can also afford to be more selective about the full-time opportunities you pursue if you are generating income through project work.

·        Options of partnering with a staffing firm. You don’t have to pursue project assignments independently.  Staffing services find you choice openings while handling the marketing and administrative tasks associated with developing and managing client relationships.