I'm a recruiter so hopefully I can shed a bit of insight!

First of all, tell me a bit more about the contract you are considering. Is it W2 or 1099? Is it a straight contract or is it contract to hire (in other words, is there possibility of being converted as a permanent employee)? Is it an open ended contract or is there a target end date (or target time frame of when you would be converted)?

Second: is your recruiter/the potential employer aware of your planned vacation days? When I'm screening potential candidates for contract positions, this is something I specifically ask because for some clients taking off for vacation for a week is a deal breaker (this is more the case with a straight contract that is short term- such as an company-wide ERP implementation slated to last 6 months). It sounds like your situation might have a little bit more flex since you would later be able to qualify for PTO. However for a lot of contractors this isn't the case- make sure your recruiter and the employer know the exact days your vacation is and APPROVES of it. Trust me- you don't want this to be an issue after you've already accepted the position and put your notice in.

I've worked with candidates before who left full time salaried positions for contract roles. For the right opportunity with a great company, it can be a very rewarding career move. However, it's a big decision and you're already starting to see some of the impact this move would make (health insurance, PTO, benefits, etc). Here are a few things you should ask yourself/your recruiter in order to determine if this is an opportunity you should move forward with:

1. Is this a contract or contract to hire?
2. (For your recruiter) When was the last time you placed someone with this company in this department? How many people did you place there in 2014? Are they still there? Are they still on contract or are they perm employees now (if so, when were they converted)?
3. How much additional expense am I incurring due to paying for health insurance/losing benefits/etc? Is the hourly rate that I would be paid enough to sufficiently cover that added cost? For example, $60k as a full time employee roughly breaks down to $30/hr... but your employer is covering a larger portion of your expenses. As a contractor you're paying for more out of your own pocket, so getting paid, say, $35/hr might not even be that much of a bump.

There's probably more I could add, but for now those are the biggest issues that need to be addressed. If your recruiter gets squirrely or suspicious about you asking about their history working with this company, that's a red flag- I would advise you to proceed with extreme caution. Also, take note of it they give you specific examples of who they've placed with this company or if they give vague answers that aren't backed up with anything concrete (e.g. going on about how it's a "great opportunity to grow your career" but can't tell you what career progression has historically looked like in the past).

I know this was wordy but I hope it was helpful! If you have any other questions, let me know- I'm happy to be a resource! Good luck! :)