Independent contractor ? Possible

kp_vy · Post by **kp_vy** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:50 am

In my line of work there seems to be a lot of jobs that are generally 2 -3 mths to 6-8 mths gigs. I am considering becoming an independent contractor biding for these 4- 8 months gigs and working the US ( where ever) for about 6 mths each year and then be in india the rest of the time. I am a USC.

The family will be in India and I dont intend to work in India the rest of the year.

I may make around 60~70 $ an hour doing this .
Has anybody given any thought along these lines ?
Any gotchas ?
Any suggestions or anything I need to look into before I leap?

itengineer · Post by **itengineer** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:01 am

sure you can do that if your wife/family will let you stay away from them 6 months at a time

srikforarpi · Post by **srikforarpi** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:42 am

kp_vy;82535In my line of work there seems to be a lot of jobs that are generally 2 -3 mths to 6-8 mths gigs. I am considering becoming an independent contractor biding for these 4- 8 months gigs and working the US ( where ever) for about 6 mths each year and then be in india the rest of the time. I am a USC.

The family will be in India and I dont intend to work in India the rest of the year.

I may make around 60~70 $ an hour doing this .
Has anybody given any thought along these lines ?
Any gotchas ?
Any suggestions or anything I need to look into before I leap?

I like your idea. Never thought about it. I am an indi myself and like it that way.

Issues:

1.How will you manage to justify the "vacation/off" time on your resume?

2. What if the contract becomes long-term like an year or so?

3. How do you manage Medical Insurance, On again and off again, you would probably keep the ins bill running while in india?

working for 60 - 70$ an hour would let you make 70K in 6 months minus medical insurace,payroll, FICA and all the accompanying expenses.You can keep the expenses real tight if you know what you are doing.

Interviewing for gigs waking up all night is not fun and i can tell from my personal exp but other than that it sounds like a plan.

kp_vy · Post by **kp_vy** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:13 am

srikforarpi;90646I like your idea. Never thought about it. I am an indi myself and like it that way.

Issues:

1.How will you manage to justify the "vacation/off" time on your resume?

2. What if the contract becomes long-term like an year or so?

3. How do you manage Medical Insurance, On again and off again, you would probably keep the ins bill running while in india?

working for 60 - 70$ an hour would let you make 70K in 6 months minus medical insurace,payroll, FICA and all the accompanying expenses.You can keep the expenses real tight if you know what you are doing.

Interviewing for gigs waking up all night is not fun and i can tell from my personal exp but other than that it sounds like a plan.[/quote]

Vacations/off time does not matter in my line of work - it is mostly skills and tasks base and since I will be doing contract jobs , I am not sure if the employer would even care about it.

Medical insurance - if I work for w2 , use the employer else get the international insurance that folks from wipro, infosys take - I hear it is pretty good but I am not sure - hopeing somebody will shed light on it.

Will be hard on the wife and kids but I will have around 6 months of vacation to make up for it....

I will try to keep the expenses in check

I am strongly inclinded towards giving it a shot. I want to hear about all the negative issues that I can potentially face.

r2i_soon · Post by **r2i_soon** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:35 am

Do you have to inform your change of address everytime you come to US. Since you might be in India in more than 6 months , you might have to pay taxes to Indian govt also. Have you thought about it?

RV2I · Post by **RV2I** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:58 am

I was thinking of the same....but thinking more like 3-4months gig. From the past, I had seen folks do this.

To cover the expenses, look for an expense-paid project ...so your client will take care of expenses as well...:emsmiled:

shankar · Post by **shankar** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:34 am

1)Family First...It is like...I will have my 6 days of food in 3 days and not eat for the next 3 days...Check with the people who are on a ship for this kind of 3months on 3 months off. They hate it. It is not possible to make up the lost 6 months in the next 6 months... The family needs you when they need you.
2)Are you going to fly to attend interviews in person everytime?
3)Considering the US market conditions...why everytime you think the client will hire you with expenses paid since there are tons of staffers sitting and offering the client without those cost to the client.
4) Technology changes in 6 months too...

It would work if you establish a relationship with a client and start working remotely...not taking the $70 rates offshore but a direct hourly rate...when you are onsite charge the onsite rates...offshore - pass the offshore rates...

Just my thoughts....not sure it makes sense....

RV2I · Post by **RV2I** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:18 pm

Shankar,

Very valid points. Thanks for your input....Definitely worth considering.

ILuvHyd · Post by **ILuvHyd** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:14 pm

I second shankar thoughts in #7 .
For me, it would be unimaginable spending 6 months away from family. After I met my wife, we were not apart for more than 5 days in the last 12 years and I want to keep it that way. It would be difficult to make up for 6 months of absence especially with growing kids.

kp_vy · Post by **kp_vy** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 6:57 pm

Very valid points that I had not thought about.
Thanks