How to answer the question "do you want to change from contractor to employee"?

Question

I've been working as a contractor (through an agency) for a software company for a few months now. Recently, the higher-ups approached me and said that they liked the work I've been doing and asked if I would someday consider being hired as a permanent employee.

I'm not particularly interested in doing so - I like the company, but the primary reason I was looking for a contracting position was to hold me over after graduating from university because I don't want to get tied down in this area. My contract is not a fixed duration so I figure I'll wrap up when the projects I'm working on are finished, which currently looks like 3-4 months from now.

How do I graciously say "I appreciate the offer, but I'm just interested finishing the projects I was hired for?"

Answer 1

How do I graciously say "I appreciate the offer, but I'm just interested finishing the projects I was hired for?"

Here is how you graciously say what you are asking:

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm just interested finishing the projects I was hired for. Thank you for thinking so highly of me and I will let you know in the future if my position on this changes."

Your line of thinking is 100% already inline, polite and professional so I would not worry too much. It's not like you are offending them to a degree where they will ask you to leave on the spot because they were so offended by denial of the offer. If that was the case, you wouldn't want to work for a place like that anyway.

Bottom line is be professional and thankful, but stick to your desires and aspirations for your career. At the end of the day taking a position you felt pressured into for some various reason will not make you happy. If you like contracting, stick with contracting.