Contract Positions Available through Craigslist

As outsourcing becomes a more and more popular options for both small business and large
corporations, Craigslist is leading the way for employers and contract employees to
connect. Craigslist is an expansive community and those who advertise on Craigslist are
fully aware of the large audience reached by Craigslist. Potential employees are equally
aware of the size of the Craigslist community and often turn to Craigslist first in their
job search especially when they are looking for work to be completed on a contract basis.

Finding a Contract Position on Craigslist

The number of employees seeking work on a contract basis is increasing in leaps and bounds.
More and more employees are making a move toward self employment where they are able to
determine when and where they work, their fees, the types of projects they accept as well
as their project deadlines. This movement is a reaction to the ever increasing propensity
of corporate America to make outrageous demands on employees to generate a greater profit
for the company. It is also linked to the increasing occurrence of outsourcing by
corporations. Individuals see work being outsourced and realize there is an opportunity
for them to work independently and accept these outsourced projects.

So, where does Craigslist fit into this picture? The simple answer is Craigslist is making
it easier for employers looking to outsource and independent contractors to come into
contact. Those who place a job advertisement on Craigslist are required to answer a series
of questions. One of these questions is whether the position is a full time position, a
part time position or a temporary contract position. Employers respond to this question
and as a result the job advertisement is automatically searchable by the term of
employment. Job seekers on Craigslist can enter the term, “contract” into the search to
receive results which were listed as contract type employment.

The ability to search by whether or not a position is a contract position on Craigslist
provides an advantage over other websites designed specifically for job seekers. This is
significant because it not only helps job seekers who are looking for this type of work
to find potential matches more quickly but it also helps employers as well because they
are less likely to receive applications from employees looking for contract work when
they have an advertisement for a full time position and likewise they are less likely to
receive applications from employees looking for full time employment when they are seeking
to fill a contract position. This can help to make the process of finding an employee
through Craigslist quicker and more efficient.

Why Contract Positions are So Appealing

There are a number of reasons why contract positions are so appealing to members of the
Craigslist community. Many of these employees are drawn to contract type work because of
the flexibility it offers them. Employees who are seeking contract employment may be doing
so for a couple of reasons. This may include wanting to earn extra income around the
confines of a traditional job or wanting to support oneself without committing to a regular
nine to five job.

One of the main advantages to contract employment is it usually includes a higher hourly
rate than similar positions offered on a full time basis. This is because companies are
often required to offer additional benefits to full time employee such as medical coverage,
social security and workers’ compensation but they are not required to offer these benefits
to contract employees. Therefore the company often compensates the contract employee for
the lack of benefits with an increased hourly rate. Employees are also willing to offer a
higher hourly rate because they realize they are in need of the special skills the
contractor can bring to the company. This is especially true in the case of industries
where there is a need to hire experts with highly specialized skills. In these cases it
is much more economical for the company to pay these fees to a contractor than to hire,
train and retain a full time employee with the same capabilities. Most companies are
becoming aware that Craigslist is the best place to find the qualified individuals they
are seeking.

Written by Michael L. Mayhew
Michael Mayhew is the publisher of “Craigslist Traffic”.
You can get additional information at his website:
http://webmasterautomation.com/craigslist/
(c)2007