What are the Different Types of Jobs?

When deciding on a career path, it is worth understanding the different types of jobs that exist. Depending on your previous work history and experience, you may feel that you already know what to expect when considering your next potential job. Knowing what you want and knowing the different types of jobs available to you are different, however.

There are many options available for jobseekers nowadays, from being a full-time worker to being a gig worker. But what else is there exactly? Let's brush up on the basics and explore the various ways that a person can be employed.

Employee or Contingent Worker?

First, let's take a look at the difference between an employee and a contingent worker.

An employee is someone employed permanently by an organization. They are on an employer's payroll with laws protecting their rights. They usually have access to employment benefits such as healthcare coverage, and their employers must withhold and pay taxes on their wages.

A contingent worker is someone who may be hired by an employer when needed. A person will undertake work temporarily and an organization isn't obligated to provide continuous or permanent work for them. As well as this, they usually won't be shielded from labor and employment laws or be eligible to access the organization's employment benefits.

Types of Employees

Full-Time Employees

A full-time employee will typically work at least 30 hours a week. Depending on your industry your work hours may be different. For example, paramedics or nurses can do night shifts instead of traditional 9-to-5 daytime shifts. Employees working full-time often receive paid time off (PTO) and stable paychecks.

Part-Time Employees

A part-time employee is someone who works below the number of hours that an organization defines as full-time work. For example, a shop assistant may be a part-time worker for 15 hours a week whereas an employer's threshold for full-time work is 30 hours a week. Part-time jobs can be attractive to students, parents, or anyone looking for flexible hours to work around their life responsibilities.

Temporary Employees

A temporary employee may work full-time or part-time, but their position will only last for a finite amount of time. For example, if an organization loses a worker to personal leave for a few months, they may hire someone temporarily to fill the position until the original employee returns. Temporary jobs may be desirable to jobseekers looking for immediate work or for a place to practice and hone transferable skills.

Seasonal Employees

A seasonal employee will usually be hired during holidays or peak seasons. For example, a ski resort would hire more workers during their peak season in the winter months than they would in the summer months. A seasonal job may be desirable to someone who wants to earn extra income during the holidays.

Types of Contingent Workers

Independent Contractors

An independent contractor agrees to offer their services to an organization or entity as a non-employee. For example, if a person is a self-employed handyman, they may have a roster of clients who hire them to repair broken items in their office or home. You may be interested in becoming an independent contractor if you have a valuable skill or service that you can offer to people while having the freedom of being self-employed.

Freelancers

A freelancer is the same as an independent contractor from a tax point of view. If someone is a creative contingent worker, they may prefer to use the term freelancer. For example, writers and artists would often use the term 'freelancer' to describe their job.

Consultants

A consultant is a contingent worker that typically offers expert advice to a client. For example, a consultant may determine that a client's advertising campaign will be ineffective, so they would offer advice about how to improve it. A consultant won't ever perform the work that they have suggested for a client.

What Attracts You?

As you can see above, there are many types of jobs to choose from. Consider your work history and what you would like to do moving forward in your career when deciding your future. Choose whatever works best for you, whether that is being an employee or being a contingent worker.