Contract vs Permanent Opportunity

[kaiser78]

I am currently working as a freelance IT PM for one of the main UK retail banks. Have been there for 8 months and contract is due for re-newal next Feb.

Due to various organisation changes my role is to be offered as a permanent role, recruiting now. I have been given first refusal on the position but I am not sure whether to take this, as this would mean becoming permanent.

Given the current ecomonic climate and in particular within the banking sector, should I take the permanent role (average salary / good benefits / career limiting) or continue as a freelancer (v rewarding / enjoyable / career control) ?

Any comments appreciated, thanks.

[Manic]

Depends on your rainy day fund. Plenty of PM roles out there. Personally I plan never to perm again, except for the job I fancy when I'm 55 watering the greens down the local golf club

[BrilloPad]

Originally Posted by kaiser78

I am currently working as a freelance IT PM for one of the main UK retail banks. Have been there for 8 months and contract is due for re-newal next Feb.

Due to various organisation changes my role is to be offered as a permanent role, recruiting now. I have been given first refusal on the position but I am not sure whether to take this, as this would mean becoming permanent.

Given the current ecomonic climate and in particular within the banking sector, should I take the permanent role (average salary / good benefits / career limiting) or continue as a freelancer (v rewarding / enjoyable / career control) ?

Any comments appreciated, thanks.

Are they forcing anyone else to go permie or is it just you? How much grief will it cause them if you walk? How big are your gahonies?

[FarmerPalmer]

personally I have just taken the plunge back into contracting again.

I went permanent 8 years ago when the industry went into recession,
and now its just got back out.

[themistry]

Originally Posted by FarmerPalmer

personally I have just taken the plunge back into contracting again.

I went permanent 8 years ago when the industry went into recession,
and now its just going back in.

[ratewhore]

I love these 'what would you do' posts.

Fact is, no one on this board is you. No one has your life, responsibilities, attitude blah de blah.

Cue 'I am Spartacus' posts...

[kaiser78]

Thanks for the comments back, appreciate 'what would you do' questions can be quite vague yet situation specific, but useful to have some pointers.

To respond to some of the queries;

*If I don't accept the permanent role I will be kept on until a replacement is chosen, so could be 2 weeks, could be 2 months.

* I am reluctant to walk as I am on a tidy number here and want to pad out as long as possible on contract

*I do have a fair amount a rainy day funds to fall back on

* However, there is a slight nuggle to go for security but which is balanced out against the independence freelancing brings.

[Another Dodgy Agent]

Originally Posted by kaiser78

Thanks for the comments back, appreciate 'what would you do' questions can be quite vague yet situation specific, but useful to have some pointers.

To respond to some of the queries;

*If I don't accept the permanent role I will be kept on until a replacement is chosen, so could be 2 weeks, could be 2 months.

* I am reluctant to walk as I am on a tidy number here and want to pad out as long as possible on contract

*I do have a fair amount a rainy day funds to fall back on

* However, there is a slight nuggle to go for security but which is balanced out against the independence freelancing brings.

For what it's worth I would take the perm role and then start looking again in the New Year. That way you provide yourself with a reasonable degree of security over the next few months, Xmas etc. to enable you to better gauge how the ongoing economic climate is progressing, you maintain your "rainy day" fund without have to eat into it, presumably can get your client to train on anything new coming up - ITIL etc. plus you gain the bonus of continuing to work in your current environment.

[BolshieBastard]

Permie? Never.

But then again, I always make provision for being out of work for anything up to a year instead of frittering it away on round the world holidays, porsche's etc, etc.

[NotAllThere]

Simple. Under no circumstances go permie.

I've been offered (and turned down) a permanent position twice in my current contract, and it's been running nearly three years now.