As someone who spent years contracting, realize that for the most part you're not competing on price. You're competing on value. Day rates aren't usually higher

As someone who spent years contracting, realize that for the most part you're not competing on price. You're competing on value. Day rates aren't usually higher than the fully loaded cost of an employee - but they are higher than the salaried cost. The flip side is that many people (myself included) frankly were tired of the abuse of full time, and not valuing our time. Contracting eliminated all of that - it was pay to play. You'd be shocked how the second you become a contractor (in the right org) you're actually doing significantly more of the work you were hired to do - whether that's coding, architecture, or stitching. But these come to mind immediately. 1. Provide interesting problems that need solving. Be specific about them. 2. Ship; one thing I've noticed repeatedly is that many organizations are "allergic to shipping". 3. Go global. There's a massive talent pool, and many people are more than happy to work 'perm' from not your location. Don't make the mistake in thinking that a permanent employee is more engaged than a contractor. A professional is a professional regardless of contract type.