She was sure she could keep her job until retirement age, but not sure she could stand to stay in the agency for that long. Jan eventually took the risk and started a successful second career as a consultant. Contractors are also self-employed, but unlike consultants, they work under contract with one organization for an extended period of time. They are like employees, adhering to the work hours and dress codes of the organization while they are there. Unlike employees, they receive no benefits.
Contractors can, however, take time off at their own discretion.
Also, they are less likely to be involved in the administrative tasks required of employees in many organizations. The organization benefits, because there are two people knowledgeable about one job. The employee benefits by having time during the week to take care of other obligations. Finally, brokering is a form of self-employment in which the worker markets someone else's products. With the arrival of the Internet, we have seen a marked increase in the number of individuals working as brokers.