And those who aren't full-time employed may not bite on the contract-to-perm offer either. Because in my limited experience "here's our contract-to-perm offer"

And those who aren't full-time employed may not bite on the contract-to-perm offer either. Because in my limited experience "here's our contract-to-perm offer" usually translates to: "Please freelance for us at sub-market rates, under our poorly-thought-out non-negotiable boilerplate contract with unclear deliverables." Typically they offer to take a slightly-low full-time weekly salary+benefits number, divide it by 40, and pay that as an hourly rate. Oh, goody. No company wants to pay a contractor the going rate for contractors, and then face the unenviable task of talking that contractor's rate back down again when making them a full-time offer. Nor do they want the bother of haggling over the details of a contract deal that will almost always prove, one way or the other, to have been a wasted opportunity. (If the worker proves to be competent, the contract will be replaced by a full-time offer as quickly as possible. If the worker is incompetent, the contract will be terminated at the earliest practical date. In no case does anyone care much about the contract. It is a consolation prize for everyone involved.) My personal philosophy is to treat contracting and employment like oil and water. Both can be tasty. But they are different things and one does not merge seamlessly into the other.