You have therefore eliminated everyone not interested in that from your pool. Good candidates know they are good and will avoid too much contrived hoop-jumping.

True. But I love contract to perm. As an architect either by name or responsibility, it's usually the first six months that are the hardest and take the most hours. I get paid for every single hour I work and can make good money until they realize the error of thier ways and make me permanent.

When we first got married my wife was really hestitant about me working on contract. Over the years, she's seen how much larger my checks are when I do.

I know companies do this, but I don't understand how it works. Given the competitive nature of hiring good engineers what type of candidate would accept a contract position when they probably have five other offers?

As I said below - I will at the proper hourly rate. With the right hourly rate, I can make more than enough to make up for any gap in employment and I'm in a market where jobs are a dime a dozen.

Besides, there are some opportunities where companies just want someone to come in, fix a problem and then after that it's just boring maintenance work. If it's a contract, I can come in, fix the problem, and look for a more interesting full time job without being labeled a "job hopper". I can just put on my resume that the 6 month job was a contract.

I prefer contracting but I found that more companies are willing to pay me my minimum salary than the commensurate hourly rate I ask for to make up for the possible gap in employment, unpaid time off, and self employment taxes.

But, my wife has a stable government job with decent benefits that allows me to go back and forth between contracting and permanent and allows me to take risks working at companies that pique my interest without concern about the long term viability of my job.