Pros
You never have to work over 40 hours unless the client approves overtime. Because the client is billed at a rate of just over 3 times your salary (!), it is highly unlikely that they would agree to overtime. The other Salaried Professionals I have had the pleasure to work with are extremely knowledgeable and have a vast array of experiences.
Cons
You are consistently placed into positions where you are overqualified, underutilized and underappreciated. Unlike temping, you are not in a position to refuse client work so if the work is truly grunt work, and most times it is, and the commute is horrible, too bad. No effort is made to find work you may enjoy or close to home. You are also frequently treated as a temp that threatens the jobs of permanent employees around you and you are rarely treated like a consultant. Your pay rate is hourly even though your offer letter will quote you an annual salary you will never hit. You are only guaranteed 37.5 hours every week if you are not on an assignment thus eliminating the possibility of hitting the quoted annual salary since your hourly rate is based on a 40-hour work week. Two hours of paid time off is accrued weekly which you are unable to take because then you will fall short of the hours necessary for the quarterly bonus which you will need to help make up the salary difference. You are also strongly discouraged from taking time off since it will interfere with the client’s needs. Benefits are supposed to be like other Robert Half employees but the HSA contribution is not available to Salaried Professionals. There also is no 401K match. If any perks are promised to you as a thank you for helping out with a client, get it in writing or it will disappear so fast you will think you imagined the conversation. The sales staff places professionals without understanding the work, and have no details regarding culture, work hours, dress codes, or parking. Robert Half will make you go through a background check, skill testing, and personality tests before sending you to a client. In addition, that client may have their own interview, background check, skill testing, and personality tests you will need to take even though you have already been cleared by Robert Half. Assignment lengths vary so if you’re looking forward to a short assignment be prepared to be there for a lot longer than originally told. If there is a problem of any kind with the client and you want out, good luck. The Robert Half sales staff will coddle then bully you into staying even though you know it is not right for you or the client. Before becoming a salaried professional, try getting a job on your own where you will make more money, have better benefits, and will have some job satisfaction.
