Hi Dee,

I have a few reactions to your question. First, A 2012 Career Builder/Harris Interactive survey found that 36% of employers planned to hire contract or temporary workers in 2012 and research has shown that a large percentage of contract employees are hired full-time by the company. 

One real and lasting symptom of the recent recession is that companies are much more wary of pulling the trigger and hiring employees. This is why they put employees through arduous interviewing processes with personality testing, background checks etc. 

This said, if you have a feeling in your gut about something, it's always a good idea to pay attention to it. No doubt you have asked your prospective manager or HR why they shifted from wanting a full-time employee to a contract worker? Let's say that your having had cancer is something that influenced their decision, (and we won't ever know this for sure) there isn't a thing you can do about this. What you do have control over is your contributions, your attitude and work ethic if you work for this company, whether in a full-time position or temporary. So if the company, the job, the work and the people ring your chimes, I vote for agreeing to their terms for now. The good news about working in a contract role is that it's easier for you to move on if you decide that the situation isn't right for you long-term. Also, it's never a bad idea to add experience to your resume! Good luck!

Take care,

Julie