What are the different types of work? Nature of work What are the different types of work?

Nature of Work Full-time Work. Part-time Work. Self-employed. Casual Work. Temporary or Contract Work. Working from home. Portfolio work

FULL TIME Full-time usually means you work 40 hours a week, but may mean 30 hours or more a week. Start and finish times may vary depending on what suits you and your employer. For example, a parent might start early and work shorter hours so they can finish in time to pick up their children from school.

FULL TIME Full-time employees sometimes work shifts, and may work outside of standard business hours. These shifts may be set hours, or change from week to week.

PART TIME Part-time hours mean a person works a set amount of hours each week, which can range from just a few hours up to about 30 hours. For example, a student might work every Saturday for eight hours to help with study costs. 

PART TIME Part-time work gives you a steady income, but also allows you time to do other things. It's a good option if you have children or other family members to look after, want to study, or have another job that you love, but that gives you only irregular work.

CASUAL WORK Casual workers are usually hired for one-off business needs or ongoing, irregular work. For example, a retail store may need extra help over the Christmas period and hire some casual staff for the month of December.  Casual work can lead to permanent work and is a good way to meet people in the industries you’re interested in working in.

SEASONAL WORK – DURIAN ANYONE? Seasonal work can only be carried out at certain times of the year. It's important to some of countries’ biggest industries: forestry, agriculture and horticulture. Seasonal workers perform jobs that can only be carried out at certain times of year.  They may also move around the country following the seasonal work opportunities as they arise throughout the year.

Contract works Contractors are similar to casual staff, but are usually contracted to do a particular piece of work. They will often bring specialist skills that an organisation needs for specific projects.  For example, a business may contract in a management consultant to help with restructuring. Contractors can be self-employed, or can work through an agency or business. Contractors will often be employed for only a fixed amount of time.

Self-employment Self-employment is very common in throughout the world, in a wide range of industries and occupations. You can find self-employed people working as courier drivers, plumbers or accountants.  The nature of self-employment also varies. You may work on contract to different people to complete work, or you may have your own business, and employ other staff.

Working from home With the improvement in telecommunications, many employers offer staff the opportunity to work off-site, usually from home, for some or all of their work week. Staff are able to keep in regular contact with their boss and other staff through email, as well as Internet calling services. They may also visit the office on a regular basis.

Working from home Working remotely can be a good option for people who want to live away from cities, but do not want a long commute. It also allows you more flexibility with your hours, though you need to discuss the details with your employer.

Portfolio work Portfolio work means working for different employers in two or more part-time roles. This can include freelance or contract work and self-employment. Together, these jobs add up to full-time work. The work you do could be in quite different fields. You need to be motivated to do portfolio work, as you will need to be constantly on the look-out for jobs that you can pick up.

Extra notes about full time - Specific hours, usually eight hours per day (give or take) or a specific shift - A specific location - A specific title with a job description or assigned responsibilities - Payment on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis - Paid vacation time

Extra notes on full time - In some cases, benefits such as health and dental care are provided - Other benefits such as training, education support, pension, etc. may be provided - Reimbursement for business-related expenses. - The employer makes deductions for income tax, employment insurance, etc.

Part time? Part-time work is a lot like full-time employment with, of course, reductions in everything from hours worked to pay and benefits. Anything less than a full-time schedule falls in the part-time category, even, for example, working 36 hours instead of a full 40.

Extra! Contractors Contractors are generally responsible for: - Finding their own contract work - Choosing what to work on - Providing the required expertise (training not provided) - Fulfilling the terms of their signed contracts - Paying their own taxes

Which give rise to freelancers! Freelancers tend to work on smaller projects than contractors (though not necessarily) and work more independently, usually out of their own home or office space. Due to the nature of the work, freelancers may have more than one client at a time, and often several. Freelance work is often of a shorter duration than typical contract work. This type of work is often paid based on the product delivered (an article, manuscript, video, photograph, illustration, etc).

Pros and Cons? Advantages and disadvantages There are both good and bad things about each type of work. Full-time (or part-time) work is more steady than contract or freelance work, but may offer less flexibility in everything from the nature of the work to the hours. Contractors often get a higher per-hour wage than regular employees (and generally higher than freelancers as well) but they don’t get benefits. Both contractors and freelancers, however, can claim tax deductions such as office and car expenses if they work from home.