[OpenDrapery]

I agree that FTE's tend to get exploited more. Being hourly means that they usually don't want you to work more than 40 hours/week, and if they do, then you're getting paid for it.

Also, it's much easier to shirk the "ownership" aspect of the products. FTE's typically handle the maintenance window in the middle of the night, the deployments, the firefighting. And they don't get paid for it. As a contractor, it's typically accepted when you say "I'm just a contractor, it's really not my product".

Yes, it's much more of a mercenary type arrangement. FTE's will oftentimes treat you as a second class citizen. But, you go home at 5pm.

But, what about job stability you say? Nobody has that. Working somewhere for 10 years and then suddenly getting put on the street is the worst case. You're hobbled. Finding a new gig every 1-3 years keeps you sharp.

[lsc]

The biggest difference is not in how the FTEs treat you; I've never had a contract gig where I was treated badly enough to really care. The big difference is the prestige. Getting a FTE job at one of the top tier silicon valley companies is like having a degree from a really prestigious college. People will talk to you about your next gig who wouldn't otherwise talk to you.

[scarface74]

I'm not in Silicon Valley, but I have been in a major metropolitan area for 20 years where jobs have always been easy to come by (with the exception of 2008-2011) and where stock options and bonuses aren't plentiful but wages are high enough for seasoned developers to allow you to easily buy a house in the 'burbs with good schools.