Most of my contracts aren't the kind that pay you well for some highly specialized knowledge. They're the kind of contracts that pay low because the companies don't want to pay employer taxes, or they simply don't have available work to justify a FT hire. Being hired as a contractor, I'm not expected to grow within the company, and these are small companies so it's difficult to build a good network. I don't stay longer than 18 months at any given place.
My last four years were also fully remote jobs. On one hand, it feels better to have companies trust you well enough with more autonomy. But being less visible also lessens the chance for promotions, contacts, or career growth.
My network isn't really that great, and I have a small circle of friends, none whom can provide good leads in the industry I work in.
Recruiters contact me a lot about FT jobs but any interviews I get through them never turn into offers. All my jobs offers have started out with cold applying, shotgunning resumes. All these rejections for FT jobs make me feel uneasy, and I'm tired of the rat race. I have a non-STEM degree and don't know if it also matters or not.
So I am at a standstill on how to build up my reputation after wasting so much time not building it.
I've set aside these two options:
1. Return to college to properly get a related degree, leverage that channel to get an internship and/or a full time non-contractor position upon graduation.
2. Keep applying to larger companies for FT jobs, and interview prep. I don't know of any good reliable sources for interview practice, but I did have one good mock interview with a local developer. He's just too busy to follow up with.
I am open to other options, if you have any suggestions on my first course of action.
