What would you need to earn to get tempted back to permie land?

[Danglekt]

I had a choice to either stay perm and end up in a senior role propping up a meeting desk 90% of my days, or get paid a little more (with a level of risk) and keep getting my hands dirty.


I chose to contract cos I'm not ready to be one of "those people" that lives in meetings. I think I will go back eventually, but for now it's about saving for a deposit on a house/paying off as much as I can.

I'm on similar rates to the OP and would want £80k+ to jump back, but wouldn't do it now for the reasons mentioned above.

[Elliegirl]

A permie role in my area is generally between £40-£60k. Contracting, my day rate can be anything between £350-£600 and higher. I've recently seen a role at £750 and a friend of mine was on £800 on his last contract.
So the money makes a difference, but what's even more important is the experience. I learn something new on every single assignment which increases my earning potential. I really enjoy going to work. I get to keep out of office politics, I'm not part of any clique and I eat in swanky restaurants. Yes, the life is potentially unstable but I could be made redundant from a permie job, so what's not to love about contracting?

[pr1]

A permie role in my area is generally between £40-£60k. Contracting, my day rate can be anything between £350-£600 and higher. I've recently seen a role at £750 and a friend of mine was on £800 on his last contract.
So the money makes a difference, but what's even more important is the experience. I learn something new on every single assignment which increases my earning potential. I really enjoy going to work. I get to keep out of office politics, I'm not part of any clique and I eat in swanky restaurants. Yes, the life is potentially unstable but I could be made redundant from a permie job, so what's not to love about contracting?

pretty perfect example of why you shouldn't pay less tax/ni per £ earned than a permie

[fool]

pretty perfect example of why you shouldn't pay less tax/ni per £ earned than a permie

That's an argument you'll have to make for all of us, because we're all taking essentially the same risks.

Myself, it'd have to be north of £150,000. Nobodies gonna pay that for a 30 year old dev/ops guys and even then I'm more inclined to just contract.

[Avalonia]

150k ? More deluded fantasists again.
Shut your mouth and look at my wad ... Again

[fool]

150k ? More deluded fantasists again.
Shut your mouth and look at my wad ... Again

It's not delusion, it's math, but as I already said, nobodies going to pay it, thus there's little incentive for an in demand contractor to go perm.

[WTFH]

Location, benefits and reduced stress. (one day - hopefully soon - I will be able to share a story)

[psychocandy]

Location, benefits and reduced stress. (one day - hopefully soon - I will be able to share a story)

Although I do sometimes have concerns that if an employer is breaking the bank to offer what they consider a large salary then they're going to expect a lot.

I've found that a client will pay £300-£400 a day for a contractor no problem and be happy if they do the work and do normal days. Get someone on a salary of £60K and they think they own that employees life.

[SimonMac]

Maybe I am different as I came into contracting my accident (applied for both permie and contrat jobs at the time), the money has helped me clear all debts and now even though I am earning like a contractor I am still spending like a permie when i was on £28k a year with a civil service pension.

I would jump to permie to reskill, and if I get in with a top end consultancy I would probably find it very hard to make the jump back to contracting if the terms were good (main base close to home, flexible working), I have worked with a few at the likes of Capita/Accenutre/IBM and when you hit real consultant level (so £55-65K plus benefits like car and bonus, rather than body shop resources) that would probably do me.

But then again, living in the North helps me set more realistic expectations, of all those who are after the £150k a year, I doubt anyone would actually get one unless you make up bulltulip like MF, and even he whines more than he is happy.

[psychocandy]

Having been both perm and contract over the past 20 years I've seen both sides. BUT having been contracting solidly for past 5 Im not mega keen to go back to perm.

Not missed things like performance reviews, office politics, lots of tax. And I like the idea that if it turns out crap or I get bored I can just not renew and go somewhere else.
Not really missed sick pay/pensions/training too much.

Only thing I have found though is that, even though Im not flash, outgoings have crept up over the last few years. Stupid things like - need new 3 piece suite - yeh £50 a month interest free no issues. Cleaner - yeh we'll have one £25 a week. We had another child as well, knowing we could afford it, so theres childcare to pay for now.

If I took a perm job it'd have to pay well to even pay the living costs. (Im continually wondering how we've got about £4K a month in costs - but my spreadsheet confirms it!)