Pros
* Flexible hours because you're not an employee * If you're looking for contract work specifically & know the cons, it could be fine for you * Hire time is usually quick, which can be good if you need a job urgently * Fully remote * Ability to learn various technologies on the job
Cons
* No benefits for contractors/engineers - no PTO, no paid holidays, no paid sick leave, no 401k, no healthcare, no bonuses; rates aren't nearly good enough to make up for this * Positions are 1099 contract, so you pay self employment taxes * The culture feels inauthentic/forced (you are not an employee, but are meant to feel like one without receiving the benefits employees would get) and focuses around non-engineering roles; recognition is similarly mostly given to non-engineering roles * All hands meetings every month where you get to learn about the PTO the non-engineers/execs took that were funded by the money you don’t get from your own labor * Company pushes engineers to the brink on stressful projects & very little if any support is offered, so burnout & turnover is common * Mental health is not a focus, even for stressful projects (or stressful times for specific engineers) there's not a lot of check ins with engineers about stress levels - * Personal growth of engineers is not considered: you're encouraged to grow in the ways that benefit the company, not yourself/what you're personally interested in * Feedback is often not taken into account or properly addressed, even though it's asked for * Equipment is not provided