Can you have it all as a contractor?

**TheFaQQer** · 21 November 2014, 13:04

Originally posted by PerfectStorm View Post

No, I don't mean "kids and a husband"! Rather, is it possible to have a well paying contract job that is enjoyable and actually fun to do?

Yes. It depends on what your definition of "fun" is, though.

Money isn't everything - it's not a race to see who dies richest. If you aren't getting satisfaction from your job, find another one. That's the good thing about working for yourself - it should be easier to find something that you want to do, and go for that.

**TykeMerc** · 21 November 2014, 13:09

I like my work, the times I find it a fun and positive experience outweigh the negative ones significantly, I'm sure a lot of contractors feel the same we're the type of people that would go and do something else if we didn't.

From the sounds of it the finance sector is your first issue, with possibly your skillset being a major secondary.

The main benefit of being a contractor is you can (try to) pick where you work, how you work and for who, pick your contracts more carefully is the obvious advice.

**SueEllen** · 21 November 2014, 13:17

You can move to smaller businesses that have more chaotic environments.

You can do things outside working - lots of people I know in IT do extreme sports or very active in other sporty things. Others are artistic, geeky or study. That means work is a rest from being physically active or being creative.

**oliverson** · 21 November 2014, 13:32

Originally posted by PerfectStorm View Post

No, I don't mean "kids and a husband"! Rather, is it possible to have a well paying contract job that is enjoyable and actually fun to do?

I'm giving contract a go for the first time, having started at the beginning of the year. It's not hard work, and nobody gives me a particularly hard time over anything. The pay is amazing in comparison to the permanent world I was coming from (around 300%) but I'm just missing... something.

Coming in to the office every day to do rather textbook, procedural project work is really getting me down. There's no room to be creative or bend rules. Everyone has their role and their place and you don't step out of it. It's not hard - but it's just very grey.

My dream role would be something in a creative industry where I can make a lot more of my own decisions about how work is done whilst carrying out work I'm capable of doing outside of my station. Oh, and I'd like to not have to wear a suit every day. A modern office environment would be good too. Does such a gig exist?

I never thought I'd be unhappy what amounts to a 6 figure+ salary but I am. A couple of months ago things really came to a head and I ended up going to the doctors because of how it was making me feel.

How do you find 'fun' gigs? Is there a place for community, fulfilment and belonging in contracting? How do you maintain a sense of 'belonging', or do you just do without?

Feel exactly the same, have done for years. I'd love to just pack in this pointless existence and work on my plan B and plan C but the reality is money. As I said in an earlier post, I'm giving it 6 more months (to the end of this new contract extension) and then it's a little ME time. 3 months off throughout the summer, work full-time on my other business ideas with a view to getting out full stop, do some sport, enjoy the garden, go on holiday. A dream come true. Fair enough I may end up having to contract again after that time but I will have made significant progress on getting out. Just 6 months more to endure. Counting the days.

**SussexSeagull** · 21 November 2014, 23:32

I always used to enjoy the fact that the nature of the beast was you were always in the action, but some of my contracts in the last few years have gone an extension too far and involved some thumb twiddling.

**BolshieBastard** · 22 November 2014, 10:25

I just wanted to retire!

**BlasterBates** · 22 November 2014, 10:39

Coming in to the office every day to do rather textbook, procedural project work is really getting me down. There's no room to be creative or bend rules. Everyone has their role and their place and you don't step out of it. It's not hard - but it's just very grey.

This sounds like my dream contract, where are you, I want it...

**PurpleGorilla** · 22 November 2014, 10:44

I'd lick dirty spoons wearing a onsie for 100k p/a.

**tomtomagain** · 22 November 2014, 13:32

Originally posted by PerfectStorm View Post

No, I don't mean "kids and a husband"! Rather, is it possible to have a well paying contract job that is enjoyable and actually fun to do?

I'm giving contract a go for the first time, having started at the beginning of the year. It's not hard work, and nobody gives me a particularly hard time over anything. The pay is amazing in comparison to the permanent world I was coming from (around 300%) but I'm just missing... something.

But that is why they are paying a contractor rate for an easy role. So "they" don't have to care about your personal well-being and career progression.

If you think it's bad now .... wait till you've been doing the same stuff for a decade.

"Fun" gigs do exist. But they are few(er) and far between. And that goes the same for both permie and contract work.

The reality is that most work is tedious, repetitive and much more about "fitting in" rather than pushing the boundaries. Especially if you are working in a heavily out-sourced company.

... However the plus side is that you are earning far more money than you used to. Earning 100k+ for a few years will give you options that you simply would not have had if you remained permie.

And just because you are a contractor now doesn't mean you can't change and do something else in the future.

So have a good think about where you want to be in a few years time and start ensuring that you are heading in that direction.

Can you have it all as a contractor?