Episode•September 7, 2023•20 min

Learn the Ins and Outs of Contracting with Lata Hamilton | Ep. 261

Looking for a career change or some extra income? Join us as we discuss the ins and outs of contracting with Lata Hamilton. From fixed-term contracts to day rate contracts, learn how you can use recruiters, temp agencies, and platforms like LinkedIn to find the perfect job. Plus, find out how Hamilton tripled her salary by utilizing different kinds of contract jobs. Finally, discover the importance of knowing your worth - get the tips that will make sure you're getting paid what you deserve! About Our Guest Lata Hamilton is a Change Leadership and Confidence expert, and the creator of the “Leading Successful Change” program. After tripling her salary in just 3 years to almost $200,000, her mission is to help millennial women carve their own paths in their career, leadership and life, and find the confidence and authenticity to truly earn their worth. Lata has worked with some of Australia’s biggest companies on changes that have impacted over 100,000 people, operating model changes impacting thousands, global cultural transformations, and digital transformation that is literally changing the way that we work. Connect with Lata Website: www.latahamilton.com Instagram: @latahamilton LinkedIn: Lata Hamilton Connect with Tiffany Website: https://moneytalkwitht.com Facebook: Money Talk With Tiff Twitter (X): @moneytalkwitht Instagram: @moneytalkwitht LinkedIn: Tiffany Grant YouTube: Money Talk With Tiff Additional Links & Resources Staffing agency Tiffany recommends: https://grahamjobs.com I Switched Careers & So Can You! Here's How! (https://moneytalkwitht.com/podcast/switch-careers/) How To Make More Money In Your Career - Tried and True Strategies For Success This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

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Key Takeaways

1
Day-rate contracting can dramatically accelerate income growth compared to traditional salaried roles
Lata Hamilton tripled her salary in three years by moving into project-based change management work and day-rate contracting
Day-rate work paid significantly more per day than her previous salary structure, though it requires understanding trade-offs around benefits
The structure forced a mindset shift about the value of time and skills, leading to greater confidence in negotiating worth
2
Recruiters are powerful allies for finding contract opportunities proactively
Two of Lata's best contracting roles came from recruiters reaching out rather than her applying directly
Recruiters have specialized tools and databases that surface candidates; keeping LinkedIn and profiles updated increases visibility
Building relationships with recruiters in your field can lead to opportunities being brought to you instead of always chasing them
3
Job/career changes and strategic moves can outperform staying loyal to one employer for salary growth
Lata changed organizations three times, switched into change management, and shifted employment type within three years
She doubled her income in one move alone by accepting a more local role through a recruiter
Traditional 'stay loyal and climb the ladder' model may not maximize earnings in today's market
4
Contracting income can create a strong financial foundation for side hustles and career transitions
Lata built $200,000 in savings through contracting, providing a safety net when moving to her business full-time
Higher income allowed her to explore her side hustle more freely without financial pressure
The wealth created enabled paying off her apartment on an accelerated timeline

Intro

Tiffany Grant interviews Lata Hamilton about using contracting—particularly day-rate project work—to accelerate career growth and triple income in three years.
Lata Hamilton is a Change Leadership and Confidence expert who helps millennial women earn their worth. She has led organizational changes impacting over 100,000 people at major Australian companies and created the 'Leading Successful Change' program.

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– What Is Contracting?

Lata explains two main types in Australia: fixed-term contracts (set period with salary) and day-rate contracting (paid per day, often for project work). Day-rate roles are common in project-based fields needing specialized skills quickly without permanent hires.

I actually tripled my salary in the space of three years by doing two things, by making the move into projects... and then also by moving to day rate contracting.
– Lata Hamilton

– How to Find Contract Roles

Recruiters are key because they proactively source talent for clients. Lata's first day-rate opportunity came from a recruiter call. She emphasizes building relationships with recruiters in your field so opportunities come to you.

Tiffany adds that temp and staffing agencies are underutilized resources—applying even without immediate openings puts you in their database for future project or direct-hire work.

They can be your greatest asset... build relationships with recruiters, get to know them... because they can absolutely be your best friend, your best ally.
– Lata Hamilton

– Optimizing Your Online Presence for Recruiters

Recruiters use specialized search tools beyond public LinkedIn views. Keeping profiles updated and staying active increases visibility in their algorithms. Lata recommends maintaining current information on job sites and LinkedIn to appear at the top of recruiter searches.

– Tripling Her Salary: The Journey

Lata initially declined the first day-rate offer because she had just started a new role. She researched implications (benefits trade-offs, tax considerations) before pursuing day-rate work. Key moves included switching to change management, accepting a local day-rate role, and changing organizations multiple times.

In that move, I kind of doubled my income... over the space of three years, I think I probably changed organizations like three times and changed careers and changed the way that I was employed.
– Lata Hamilton

– Mindset Shift and Wealth Building

Contracting changed how Lata valued her time and skills. The 'no work, no pay' structure highlighted the worth of each day. She built significant savings that funded her transition to full-time entrepreneurship and accelerated paying off her apartment.

By the time I decided to sort of move into my business full time, I had like $200,000 in savings in the bank simply because of the way that I had chosen to work in projects.
– Lata Hamilton

Resources

Topics

contractingday rate contractingcareer changerecruitersLinkedIn optimizationsalary negotiationproject workchange managementside hustlewealth building