Are start-up employee's usually consultants/contracted?
Is it typical when being hired at a Start-up to not be a full-time employee but a monthly contracted worker?
Most startups in my experience, however, prefer to have full-time employees. The opportunity cost of having an employee leave the project in the early phases is often times devastating, and contractors/consultants are more likely to jump ship if something more lucrative comes along. The same can be said of "real" employees, but you're often in a better position to make a more compelling offer (i.e. stock, options, benefits, etc.) to the latter rather than the former.
I have seen a few rare instances where a consultant is hired but usually startups can't afford the consultant rates hence the options