You know the feeling: You get a call from a recruiter who’s got a hot gig with requirements that look like a photocopy of your resume. The company’s been at the top of your list for as long as you’ve had a list. And the recruiter says the company is digging deep into its wallet to buy talent like yours.

"They know I always work as an independent contractor, right?" you remind the recruiter. Three seconds of dead air tell you what you suspected all along: The company is only hiring W-2 employees, and the deal is off.

Or is it? Here’s how to make your best case to companies that don’t yet understand all the advantages of working with free agents.

Consultants and contractors can offer companies what they often thirst for the most: the exact skills required to get the project done. "Companies get to hire someone who has a laser focus on addressing their needs", says Terry Lonier, president of Working Solo Inc. in New Paltz, New York.

Further, the company "gets to deal directly with the person who’s going to be executing the project," adds Lonier, whose firm consults to corporations serving the small office/home office market. This is often preferable to handing a project to a team of employees where responsibility is divided and accountability is less than clear. You may get a foot in the door just by convincing a prospective customer that you’ll be the reliable single point of contact for the project.

Suppose a company needs to complete a project three months from today, and the organization lacks the required expertise. How can you convince the company to bring you in as a contract guru rather than hire a permanent employee?

Just remind them of what they should already know: In the employment market of the early 2000s, it might easily take three months or more just to identify and lure a new hire, allow her to give notice to her old employer and orient her to the new company. If, as a free agent, you can make yourself available in a matter of weeks, you may win the contract. Even if the company is determined to create a permanent position to carry out a series of projects, you could be the perfect pinch hitter.

Sure, it’s a seller’s market for talented professionals with the right skills, but companies are still working hard to control project costs. That’s why you should point out that you come with many fewer financial strings -- not to mention legal encumbrances. "Companies are not paying for benefits" when they hire free agents on a 1099 basis, Lonier points out. "It’s very expensive to hire someone and very difficult to fire someone," she adds.

But how do you win over a prospect when they’ve just blanched at the size of your free-agent fee? Walk them through the other side of the equation -- benefits and overhead costs, hiring expenses and so on. And don’t forget to mention that the company won’t have to pay Social Security, workers' compensation or unemployment taxes for work you do as an independent contractor.

You Bring a Valuable Perspective

The last card you can lay down on your prospect’s table is the value of your view from outside the company. "Many times the free agent can bring a fresh perspective to a project," Lonier says. "They can bring best practices to the business and many times teach the organization ways to do things better." So your outside perspective might turn out to be the inside track to a great free-agent gig.