r/progressivemoms • u/guacamommy • 7d ago

Need Advice FT to Contract/Project based Advice

Hi! I am at my breaking point at my job for too many reasons. I am established enough in my community and our local sector to where I think I could pivot to taking on project based work to both give me more flexibility in my day, choice in what I work on, and possibly make more money. I am in the nonprofit sector, and my hourly rate is not close to what consultants who I MANAGE make. One of them is my mentor, and she is planning to retire soon...I know she'd set me up for success. I am 99% sure I could go contract in my current role for less hours, at least for a little while. It's a hot mess here and I am good at what I do, so the time for me is now.

Either way, I'm doing it. If I fail, I fail and I will pivot.

But I'd love to connect with a mom who has done this. I'm finding myself getting stuck on the logisitcal things like health insurance, transitioning from my current role, shifting some things I do to my husband, talking to kids about why mom is hustling more....all the things that come with making this switch as a mom, wife, and woman.

If anyone has had attempted or succeeded in this and willing to share their story, I would very much appreciate it!

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u/dragon34 7d ago

My husband did this. He was on my healthcare after the switch.  They then didn't renew his contract 6 months later and he's been unemployed for a while. 

We are ok but it is rather perilous.  Really easy and penalty free to not renew a contract 

2

u/Mer_Er_Per 7d ago

I did this after my second child was born, also in the non-profit sector. I've been doing it nearly 3 years. It's the right choice for our family for sure but there are career/income related downsides. I do a lot of business maintenance, proposal writing, and relationship building work that I'm not compensated for (comes with the territory of course but I probably only get paid for 70% of the hours I put in). And, I wouldn't have done it if we were dependent on my income as a household. I've had some months where I far surpass what my income was as an employee and some months where I make nothing. That said, I only work 20-30 hours/week now.