Summary: As an aspiring instructional designer, you should apply for both Full Time Employee (FTE) roles and Contract roles to gain more practice with interviews and increase your chances of receiving the right offer. Ultimately, the best outcome for you is probably a FTE role.
When you’re looking for jobs to apply to, you’ll mainly see two types of roles: FTE and Contract. Early on, I recommend applying for any FTE and Contract roles that you feel qualified for. It’s obvious that practice makes better, so the more reps you can get with interviews, the more confident and prepared you’ll be for the next one. In time, with enough applications and interviews, you’ll land the job offer that’s right for you. That’s the hope at least.
Do What’s Best for You
Here is an article from Udacity that briefly summarizes Contract vs Freelance vs Full-Time roles. Here is an article from Workplace Round Table that lists Contract vs. Full-Time: 10 Pros and Cons. The guidance is clear from both articles– you need to do what’s best for you.
Now that you’ve gotten that message, let me offer my insights for you to consider.
Why I Think You’ll Want a FTE Role
While the first article mentions Freelance roles, I won’t discuss them any further in this post. I don’t think most teachers have the technical/creative design skills nor the business acumen to succeed immediately in a Freelance role. So that leaves FTE and Contract roles for me to discuss.
Here are just three of many reasons why I think you’ll want a FTE role over a Contract role.
- Benefits (insurance, 401(k), and others): The United States is the only industrialized nation without universal health insurance. DUMB. I won’t even say any more haha. You probably need an employer-sponsored insurance plan to make healthcare costs somewhat affordable for you and your family. You probably also need a 401(k) plan with employer matching to maybe have a chance of retiring comfortably. Any other extra benefits would be nice.
- Teamwork and collaboration: Think back to your early years as a teacher. How many veteran teachers in your building did you rely on for ideas, advice, or support? The same thing goes for a new Instructional Designer. You will find people on your team and in your company who are willing to help you develop your craft.
- Costs of programs, tools, and learning: Your company will already have licenses for the programs and tools you that use as an Instructional Designer. If not, just submit a request and they’ll get it. Additionally, if there are additional learning opportunities you’re interested in, your company will likely reimburse it fully or partially.
In a Contract role, you basically have to figure everything out and pay for everything yourself. I’m not saying you can’t do it; I’m saying, as a new Instructional Designer, you probably don’t want to do all that yet. Go for a FTE role for now.
If All Else Fails
I don’t like the proverb “Beggars can’t be choosers,” but that seems to be the bottom line here. Any job as a new instructional designer beats not having a job. If you’ve been applying for FTE and Contract roles and only received offers for Contract roles, at some point you probably just have to take one. At the end of the day, you have to take care of yourself and your family, pay your bills to live, and get into this field somehow.
There you have it. You’re likely to see and apply for two types of roles during the job search: FTE and Contract. Both have their pros and cons, and you need to make the decision that’s best for you. I think you’ll have a better start to your new career with a FTE role.
Tyler Banh 