I absolutely love being a contractor for some of the best EdTech companies out there! I’ve had the opportunity to travel across the USA, exploring cities and towns I’d never visited before, and I’ve met educators from various school systems, both large and small. Making an impact on students’ lives has been incredibly rewarding. However, the journey hasn’t always been smooth, and I’ve learned a few lessons the hard way. Here are three key takeaways from my contracting experience:
Lesson 1: Don’t Cash Your Paycheck Before It’s Deposited!
Working with multiple EdTech companies means dealing with different payment schedules and procedures. Here’s a snapshot of what I’ve encountered:
- Company A: Deposits paychecks within 5 days of invoice submission and deducts taxes.
- Company B and C: Deposit paychecks within 7 days of invoice submission without tax deductions.
- Company D: Deposits paychecks on the 15th of each month, with about a 10-day turnaround from invoice submission, and does not deduct taxes.
- Company E: Deposits paychecks 6-10 weeks after invoice submission, with no set schedule and no tax deductions.
This variety in payment timing has been challenging. While I can count on some paychecks arriving regularly, others can be quite unpredictable. To manage this, I’ve learned to keep a detailed list of submitted invoices and received payments, and not to count on those less predictable paychecks in my monthly budget.
Lesson 2: Traveling is Harder Than It Sounds!
Traveling is one of my favorite aspects of the job, but it comes with its own set of challenges. I’ve flown to 20 different states, and while I’ve seen more of the USA than I ever imagined, managing travel logistics can be complex.
Each company has its own guidelines for booking flights, hotels, and car rentals, which can be helpful but still require careful management. To stay organized, I created a spreadsheet to track essential information such as flight details, hotel reservations, and car rentals. When traveling to multiple locations in a week, this tool becomes indispensable.
One significant challenge is covering out-of-pocket expenses for travel arrangements. Most companies require me to pay for flights, hotels, and car rentals upfront, sometimes 3-4 weeks in advance. This means charging these expenses to my credit card before receiving any reimbursement. To manage this, I’ve added expense tracking to my spreadsheet and stay vigilant about monitoring and submitting for reimbursements.
Lesson 3: Organization Is Key!
As an educator, I prided myself on being organized, but contracting has taught me there’s always room for improvement. There’s so much to keep track of, from travel details to task management. Here’s how I stay on top of it all:
- Travel Spreadsheet: To track all travel-related information.
- Master Calendar: To manage my schedule and avoid overbooking.
- Task Lists: To keep track of weekly tasks and packing items. For instance, there’s nothing worse than forgetting essentials like a toothbrush or dress shoes. I even once forgot my laptop, which led to an expensive purchase of a new one. Lesson learned!
I live by my lists and have laminated them to keep in my suitcase and computer bag.
I always tell my students that we learn from our mistakes and failures, and I’ve certainly learned from mine!
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