A classic permie to contractor question

[l35kee]

IMVHO the reality is that it's a bit of a worse case position but if you know nothing of contracting and are looking for comparative earning figures, it's better to give a slightly more pessimistic view. No permie will understand the difference in earnings anyway, nor that people who go contracting for the money are doing it for the wrong reasons in the longer term.

As long as we explain that the view we are giving is the pessimistic one! i.e. Yeah the FTE £60k is equivalent if you work for 6 months of the year, etc.

The money reason is a funny one though. Money itself usually isn't the driver, but what money can bring. For example a better life for one's family, more flexibility, etc. Most of the time it's inaccurate to say "I went contracting for the money".

I should care less. You do more harm by arguing the point than by accepting a simple, possible value on the question that every permie asks and every contractor knows is pointless. If they make the leap, the ex-permie will soon find out their own truth.

Coming to a place like this and asking the question using the search is a valid part of an FTE's due diligence imo. As long as it's it isn't the only due diligence!!!