Council vs commercial contracts

[JamesMcS]

Hi all, I have a bit of dilemma I'm hoping you can help me with.

I have two contracts that I've been offered. It will be my first contact; one is for a county council, and one is for a government body. I've been given the impression by competing agent that if I take the council contract, I'll be pigeon-holed as a council contractor and I'll find it difficult to move into a commercial role in the future (the government job seems to be a bit more commercially-focused).

The council one is paying slightly more, but the government one will (probably) last longer.

Has anyone had experience in this situation? I'd really appreciate some pointers.

Thanks

James

[tractor]

...

Hi all, I have a bit of dilemma I'm hoping you can help me with.

I have two contracts that I've been offered. It will be my first contact; one is for a county council, and one is for a government body. I've been given the impression by competing agent that if I take the council contract, I'll be pigeon-holed as a council contractor and I'll find it difficult to move into a commercial role in the future (the government job seems to be a bit more commercially-focused).

The council one is paying slightly more, but the government one will (probably) last longer.

Has anyone had experience in this situation? I'd really appreciate some pointers.

Thanks

James

No such thing as a council contractor. I have had roles in local and other public bodies and organisations and some of the largest telecoms and utilities over 25 years. No one has ever said to me a public sector background precludes you from being able to carry out a role.

Agents are well known for saying any tulip that coerces you into doing what they want.

[TykeMerc]

No such thing as a council contractor. I have had roles in local and other public bodies and organisations and some of the largest telecoms and utilities over 25 years. No one has ever said to me a public sector background precludes you from being able to carry out a role.

Agents are well known for saying any tulip that coerces you into doing what they want.

Same as Tractor apart from the telecoms bit.

The bit in bold is 100% accurate, you can tell when an agent is lying, you can hear his/her voice. Ok, that's a bit cynical, but in general they're not known for sticking to the truth, they're sales bods so will twist stuff without a trace of guilt.

[SueEllen]

Agents are well known for saying any tulip that coerces you into doing what they want.

WHS

Go for the contract that suits you the most at the moment.

You only get pigeon holed if every single role you do is in the same sector and your skills aren't transferable to another sector. Most people are too wise to allow that to happen...

[TheFaQQer]

I've been given the impression by competing agent that if I take the council contract, I'll be pigeon-holed as a council contractor and I'll find it difficult to move into a commercial role in the future

There is something to be said for being regarded as a contractor who works predominantly in the public sector, which may be where this impression is coming from. Some managers in the private sector will not expect you to cope with the "high demands" of private sector compared to how nothing every gets done in the public sector.

However, you are essentially comparing two public sector roles, which is where that argument falls down. If the choice was between working for the local council and working for an investment bank, then you might be able to see the argument that they are very contrasting environments.

I've worked on central government projects as a contractor, private sector projects as a contractor and as a permie, and council projects as a permie - each area has given some new skills / knowledge that have never held me back. I had one agent try to persuade me that taking one gig would be good because it would "put some private sector experience at the top of your CV after years of public sector work". I took the role because it was something I wanted to do, was a year of work, and was based from home - not because it was private sector vs public sector.