5 signs you need a better contract job and how to land one with benefits at Fidelity TalentSource

Contract work gives you freedom and flexibility.

The pros of flexible contract and temporary work for anyone at any career stage

Plenty of American workers opt for something outside the typical 9-to-5 work situation. In fact, 38% of the U.S. workforce freelances while 7.4% are independent contractors. Clearly gig work isn’t a side hustle—it’s the main hustle for many American workers.

Contract work gives you freedom and flexibility. As Fidelity TalentSource Senior Talent Acquisition Partner Sarah says, “Contracting is a great opportunity to get your feet wet.” Whether you’re going to school, entering the workforce for the first time, or coming back into the workforce after an absence, contracting gives you a chance to test the waters at a new company, career, or industry. “Temporary work is a great opportunity to try something new in a safe environment,” said Brian, head of human resources for Fidelity TalentSource and head of TA Operations.

Maybe you want to work part-time to have better work/life balance, support your mental health, or care for loved ones. Maybe you prefer the novelty and diversity of project-based work if you’re always on the hunt for your next challenge. Maybe you’ve retired but feel like you need more of a challenge in your day-to-day life. Whatever your wants and needs, contracting may help you get where you want to go in your career.

Get to know Fidelity TalentSource, your gateway to flexible Fidelity temporary jobs and potential contract-to-hire opportunities

Fidelity TalentSource is Fidelity’s in-house resource for recruiting contract and temporary workers to help fill coverage gaps when associates go on extended leave or when Fidelity needs contract workers to support projects and business units. Some contractor positions are designed with the goal of converting that position to regular if the contractor’s performance and the team’s head count align. “A lot of opportunities come through Fidelity TalentSource. It can be another avenue for people to get their foot in the door and start their career at Fidelity,” said Sarah.

Fidelity TalentSource hires for as many types of jobs and departments as Fidelity Investments offers. We fill roles in finance, technology, and professional services for all 12 of our regional locations. Whether you’re looking to provide customer service support or manage assets, build apps, get into cryptocurrency, or support legal and compliance, chances are there’s a contract position available at Fidelity TalentSource in your area of interest. As Brian says, “Fidelity TalentSource is a place where you can have a career and grow and develop new skills.” “It’s not only entry-level roles we hire for but senior-level positions as well,” said Sarah. “We have something for everybody.”

Fidelity TalentSource is a place where you can have a career and grow and develop new skills.

Sign #1: You feel removed from the contractor hiring/management process

With some contract positions, you can feel like you’ve entered an elaborate telephone game when it comes to getting a contract job and performing in it. The third-party recruiter liaises with the in-house recruiter who liaises with the hiring manager and then the communication chain happens in reverse back to you. This happens both during the hiring process and when you’re doing the work. Sometimes you don’t even know where you stand performance wise and what you need to address.

Fidelity TalentSource keeps you informed and empowered in your temporary job search and during your contract

“As Fidelity TalentSource recruiters, we have more power over the whole process,” said Shawn, Fidelity TalentSource Talent Acquisition Partner. “We can give you more realistic timelines and get you feedback from the hiring manager. The overall line of communication is much more fluid.” The hiring process is more efficient and transparent.

In addition, as in-house recruiters, Fidelity TalentSource understands Fidelity’s hiring needs more thoroughly than a third-party vendor could. “Our advantage is that our team of recruiters and operational and staffing professionals are Fidelity employees and know the organization inside and out,” said Brian. “They’ve established relationships inside the firm with hiring managers and decision-makers.” Our recruiters have a level of trust with our hiring managers it would likely take a third-party vendor much longer to develop.

When you’re a contractor with Fidelity TalentSource, your manager is your manager. You won’t need to rely on the third-party vendor to feed you information about your performance or what could be improved. Instead, you’ll be working under the same manager as the regular associates. “They’re going to give you feedback if there are areas that you need to work on,” said Shawn. You won’t be blindsided by an early contract termination. Instead, you’ll know where you stand and what you can do to improve upfront.

Sign #2: You left pay and benefits on the table as a contractor

Getting contract jobs through a third-party vendor means giving them a cut of your pay and could mean forgoing benefits like medical insurance, paid sick leave, or contributing to a 401k, unless you take on the responsibility and costs for those yourself.

Fidelity TalentSource offers competitive pay and benefits for temporary roles and contract workers

“Hourly pay rates for positions through Fidelity TalentSource are highly competitive in the marketplace,” said Brian. Rates vary by region and role.

We can offer more competitive rates because Fidelity TalentSource doesn’t have the same business model as a third-party vendor. We don’t work on commission or take a percentage of your pay.

As Shawn said, the experience with a third-party vendor can “feel like someone is actively negotiating against you. At Fidelity, the offer you get is what you get paid. There’s never renegotiating to help my bottom line.” “We’re here to truly help make the connection to good talent and bring them into Fidelity,” said Sarah.

Fidelity TalentSource pays contractors weekly, which is important to many contractors. Because Fidelity is a stable and secure company, you won’t need to worry when you’ll get paid. You’ll have peace of mind knowing the money you earned is on its way to you week after week for the duration of your contract.

“Fidelity TalentSource healthcare benefits are better than what you would find with most third-party contract vendors,” said Shawn. “I would say Fidelity TalentSource is above average compared with third-party agencies with benefits as a whole.”

Here’s how Fidelity stacks up. (Benefits subject to change.)

Fidelity TalentSource offers a robust suite of benefits to contract associates, including 401k contributions, additional insurance and disability coverage options, generous leave of absence for situations such as parental leave or jury duty, discount programs, and more. You can save for retirement, support your family as you need to, and enjoy entertainment and activities in your local community. “Discounts are available to all associates, tailored to your regional site. Here in Raleigh, we can get discounts on Hurricanes games,” said Sarah.

Plus, you’ll enjoy many of the same on-site amenities and concierge services as regular associates, such as fitness facilities, game rooms, and nature preserves.

Our hybrid work schedule gives you the best of both worlds to focus on head-down tasks at home and connect and socialize in the office. “We value personal needs and work/life balance,” said Brian. “Good communication between the associate and the manager is key when it comes to scheduling flexibility.”

We have TalentSource employees who are working side-by-side with regular associates on high-profile, very complex projects and initiatives.

Sign #3: You don’t feel challenged or intellectually stimulated by your temporary or contract work

Depending on the company where you get hired, contract work could be underwhelming, which risks dulling your skills in all sorts of ways. You could miss out on experience using the latest technologies. You could lose emotional intelligence skills if you’re relegated to the sidelines. You could feel like your job is pointless in the grand scheme of things.

At Fidelity TalentSource, you work on essential and complex projects that matter

When you work for Fidelity TalentSource, you contribute to meaningful projects. “We have TalentSource employees who are working side-by-side with regular associates on high-profile, very complex projects and initiatives and helping to deliver on many of Fidelity’s top priorities,” said Brian. You’ll help Fidelity achieve our long-term organizational goals.

That’s why we ensure that contractors have the same exposure to cutting-edge technologies and systems that our regular associates have. “Fidelity invests in ensuring associates can work efficiently and have the tools and technology they need,” said Brian. 

“Our teams do take pride in being on it with the latest and greatest technology,” said Sarah. Getting real-world experience with these tools can help jumpstart your career, especially in contract technology roles. “With your newfound skills, you could potentially get a future job as a full-stack developer,” said Shawn. Our technology teams have access to cutting-edge platforms, tools, and technologies from AI to blockchain to quantum computing.

Sign #4: You don’t feel like you’re part of the team as a contractor

At other companies, you could feel left out or isolated as a contractor from the regular team. It’s like being stuck in the middle school cafeteria with nobody to sit with all over again. You’re not sure where you belong or if you’re even welcome. Nobody should have to repeat that experience, especially not at work.

Fidelity TalentSource helps you feel welcomed and integrated into the wider Fidelity team

“We’re one team. It is very hard to tell the difference between a regular Fidelity employee and a Fidelity TalentSource employee,” said Brian.

As a contractor, you’re on the same team, doing the same work, and participating in the same activities and events as the rest of the team. You’re integrated and welcomed from the start. “I started as a contractor myself,” said Sarah. “Fidelity really makes you feel like you’re part of the team. Fidelity wants you to add value and participate in the same activities.”

We help set you up for success, no matter what entry point you take, whether through contract or permanent employment. “We welcome you into the organization and help you with all the things you need to know,” said Brian. “You immediately have access to all the central Fidelity resources that everybody else has.”

Internal networking events and on-site weeks help you develop your connections within and understanding of the company. “We strongly encourage folks to learn what the company does and what others do and how they do it, so that associates can grow their network,” said Brian.

As a learning organization, we’re always open to feedback so we can improve our systems, processes, policies, and facilities. “We’re in a very feedback-rich environment,” said Sarah. “If you’ve got ideas on process improvement or new technology, we’re all ears to hear it.”

Sign #5: You don’t feel like you have future opportunities

Dead ends can be disheartening. That now-what feeling can be overwhelming as a contract comes to an end if you don’t have your next move lined up, whether it’s converting to regular or landing another contract position with another department or project. You don’t want to be up a creek without a paddle.

The internal mobility at Fidelity is huge.

Fidelity TalentSource gives you the chance to advance your career in the way that’s best for you

With Fidelity TalentSource, you can choose which career path works best for you, whether that means possibly converting to being a regular, contract-to-hire employee or continuing in a temporary role with other projects. “The internal mobility at Fidelity is huge,” said Shawn. “Managers are encouraged to help you look for other jobs and move your career forward. That’s not something third-party agencies typically discuss.”

“Fidelity TalentSource provides a great opportunity to showcase your skill set and add value to the team,” said Sarah. “If you make your intentions clear that you want to have longevity with your career at Fidelity, we’ll provide you the resources you need to be successful. It’s all about what you make of it.” As Shawn said, “Fidelity is a great employer. People want to get in here.”

If you’re interested in going the regular route, know we have a strong track record. In the past 3 years, we’ve converted 2,000 contractors to regular employees. “A lot of the time, if you convert to being a regular employee, we’ll honor your time served as a contractor, so you won’t have to wait as long for tenure-based benefits to kick in,” said Sarah. That’s one small way we recognize and value the hard work and time our contractors devote to us.

“Converting to regular is never guaranteed, but some of our roles are opened with the hiring strategy to convert them to regular based off performance and head count for that specific team,” said Sarah. “If that’s not the case, your recruiter will tell you up front.”

Our internal Career Center gives you the tools and resources you need to advance your career with resume and interviewing workshops, webinars, and even coaching. “We try to give as much help as we can to people to set them up for success,” said Sarah. With both physical on-site support and virtual offerings, you can access the Career Center whenever and however you want.

Find your Fidelity in a temporary role or as a contract associate with Fidelity TalentSource

Wherever you are in your career, Fidelity TalentSource has a contract opportunity for you. “Our Fidelity TalentSource associates span all career stages, from students balancing work and school, to new graduates, to individuals reentering the workforce. It’s a perfect situation for someone interested in Fidelity,” said Brian. “We’re adding new roles every day and could have hundreds on any given day for a variety of skill sets. There’s something out there for you if you’re interested in Fidelity,” said Sarah.

Fidelity TalentSource gives you a positive, consistent, and stable experience from the beginning. Here’s what our team says:

• Brian: “From the start of the interview through the completion of a project, we provide consistency so that your Fidelity experience is a good one.”
• Sarah: “Contract work can sound scary, but it’s really not. It’s a great experience and opportunity to get your foot in the door.”
• Shawn: “Fidelity TalentSource is as stable as most regular employment.”

Join our talent network today to get updates on our latest flexible temporary roles and contract positions.