Finding Freedom, Flexibility & Variety through On-Demand IT Work

Nearly a quarter of Australian employers regularly use contractors to manage workloads and another 44% engage them for special projects. As organisations continue to reap the rewards of on-demand employment models – paying for resources only as needed and avoiding management obligations required with full-time staff – the use of contingent workers is increasing.

But the benefits aren’t just for employers.

If you’re not one of the 1 million Australian independent contractors partaking in the ever-increasing on-demand economy, you may want to reconsider, especially if you’re in IT. IT contract work is on the rise more so than with other disciplines.

Imagine getting to choose when you’d like to work and the type of work you’d like to perform, and getting access to new and different environments and technology with every project. Add to that the reduction of some of the hassles that come with full time work – such as meetings and office politics – and the benefits of contract work just may outweigh those of a steady gig.

Roubina Giragol is General Manager of Ignite On-Demand, the IT services division of the recruitment firm. The division provides IT solutions and skilled resources for short term, long term and project-specific work, either on a time-and-materials or fixed price basis across all IT sector clients.

“There is so much freedom in contracting. You have the option of saying yes or no to a project and you can work ad hoc – 2 hours, 2 weeks or 2 months, etc. You can also supplement your income by working weekends, or before or after work,” she says.

While greater numbers of IT professionals are choosing contract work long-term for the flexibility and to add more variety to their work, Giragol says it’s also a great short-term strategy.

“Taking on project work is extremely beneficial for those who’ve just finished Uni or are new to the country and want to get a foot in the door,” she says. “They can build up their experience and make connections.”

But with all the advantages of on-demand/contracting work often come some drawbacks, such as having to market yourself and managing the administration that comes with running your own business. While contractors who go-it-alone may struggle with these areas, Giragol says working through Ignite On-Demand will take away all those administrative headaches.

“We have hundreds of clients who rely on us to provide pre-vetted, qualified contractors on short notice. This is all we do. We can keep contractors busy – they don’t have to worry about finding their next gig. They receive pay checks from us with Super and taxes paid.”

Ignite On-Demand places all levels of support engineers for desktop-related projects, such as IMAC (install, move, add, change), as well as Wintel, server and network engineers. With client sites throughout Australia, contractors are placed in every corner of the country – cities, suburbs, small towns and remote areas.

“We really care about our contractors – we want to see them happy and reaching their full potential,” says Giragol. “If that means providing them with as much variety as possible, we do that. If that means releasing them from their contract with us to work for a client full-time, we also do that.”

Ready to experience the freedom, flexibility and variety offered by on-demand IT work? Email the Ignite On-Demand team at [email protected].

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