I’ve been on both sides of the coin so to speak (contractor and Fed). I felt when I was working on site as a contractor, I was walking a delicate tight rope balancing allegiances between my contract company who paid me and the agency I actually did the work for. I only met my contract company supervisor twice for the entire year I supported that contract (1. Interview; 2. Dropping me off at my office) and technically Feds can’t fill that role so I was essentially my own boss. This sounds great but I didn’t have any support or advocate to help me progress in my career. As a Fed, I have opportunities to push my organization’s boundaries in ways I wouldn’t be able to do as a contractor because I can be frank and outspoken about issues. I am also not tied to a statement of work so I can pursue interests outside my daily tasks/assignments. The contract company I worked for was very stingy on training, but in my current position the government offers me a lot of training opportunities in my field. For me, being a Fed is a better fit at least for now.