This document discusses the differences between seeking your first healthcare IT contracting job versus subsequent contracts. For a first contract, you can be highly selective about compensation, work type, and travel requirements since you still have a regular salary. However, subsequent contracts require being open to opportunities that are good but not perfect, to avoid gaps with no pay between contracts. Maintaining an acceptable standard rather than a perfect one allows contractors to spend less time without billable work and earn more overall through their contracting career.

1. Getting Into
Healthcare IT
Contracting
Contract Here

2. If you’re looking to get into consulting as a contractor . . .

3. If you’re looking to get into consulting as a contractor . . .
(someone who gets paid an hourly rate while on projects but is not paid in between)

4. If you’re looking to get into consulting as a contractor . . .
(someone who gets paid an hourly rate while on projects but is not paid in between)
. . . then you have to understand the difference between getting your
first contract and getting every other contract after that.

5. When you’re looking for your first contract, you can have a
“perfect” standard for what you’re looking for and you really
don’t have to budge
(assuming you understand market conditions).

6. However, once you’re in contracting, although you want to
maintain a high standard, there may be times when you’ll need
an understanding of what’s not necessarily “perfect” but
certainly “acceptable.”
Allow me to discuss the difference . . .

7. Your First Contract
If you’re not currently contracting, then you’re probably in a
salaried position with either a provider organization or another
consulting firm.
(In both of these scenarios, you have a regular paycheck coming in.)
As you begin to evaluate consulting contract opportunities,
you’re doing so as an employee of a company while you’re
receiving a paycheck.

8. The luxury you have at this time is that if you don’t like any of
the aspects or conditions of a contract being presented to
you, you simply don’t have to take the contract.
As a salaried employee you have this luxury because, if you
turn the contract down, you still have a job and a regular
paycheck.
It’s during this time that you can afford to be as selective as
you’re ever going to be when choosing a contract.

9. So . . .

10. So . . .
if the compensation is a little less than ideal . . .

11. So . . .
if the compensation is a little less than ideal . . .
if the work is not to your liking . . .

12. So . . .
if the compensation is a little less than ideal . . .
if the work is not to your liking . . .
if the required travel is extremely inconvenient . . .

13. So . . .
if the compensation is a little less than ideal . . .
if the work is not to your liking . . .
if the required travel is extremely inconvenient . . .
You can just turn the contract down and wait
for the next one.

14. Your Second Contract
Let’s look down the road.

15. You’re now working as a contractor on your first project.
You’ve had a really good experience.
You have 30 days left on your contract and the client has just
informed you that they’re not going to be extending the
contract.
This is not a bad thing; it’s just how the contract business
works. All contracts come to an end at some point.

16. Now you begin to put your feelers out to multiple firms,
just as you did when you were looking to get into
contracting to begin with.
Soon, potential contracts begin to come your way.
Here’s the difference: Thirty days from now your contract
will be over and you won’t have a paycheck coming in.
Although everyone’s financial situation will be a little
different, you will quickly be coming to the point where
you will have to accept some contract.

17. Prior to getting into contracting, you were able to say to
yourself, “I either get close to a perfect situation or I won’t
leave my job.”

18. Prior to getting into contracting, you were able to say to
yourself, “I either get close to a perfect situation or I won’t
leave my job.”
Now you’re in a situation where, if you wait for a
close-to-perfect situation and don’t find one, you’ll not be
getting paid while you wait!

19. This is a big difference, and many contractors are not
mentally prepared for it. What I mean by this is that they
pass up on some contracts that offer good situations, but
may not be perfect, and end up being on the “bench” with
no paycheck for a few weeks longer than they should’ve —
only to eventually accept a similar “good” contract a month
later.
The only difference is that the contractor gave up a month’s
pay (this example assumes the contractor wants to work
and not be on vacation).

20. Having a realistic view as to what’s “acceptable” (not bad) but not
necessarily “perfect” will lead to less bench time and more
billable hours. This, of course, leads to more income, year to year,
and can certainly affect how long you’ll remain a contractor.

21. Learn More At HealthcareIS.com
• Ways to negotiate
• How to get the right contract
• Who to work with
• Tips for traveling consultants
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