Left for the holy grail permie job - not settling in at all

**cojak** · 17 March 2016, 12:27

Why don't you take the lead and do consultancy work in the consultancy during your bench time? Consultancies always need something improving, be it processes, branding, documentation or other stuff.

This is the case for small-mid size companies, if you're in a humongous Crapita-like consultancy I'm not sure what the answer is.

And as for time-off, that's a big discrepancy right there. You either get used to it or you don't.

**Unix** · 17 March 2016, 12:27

Originally posted by sockie View Post

Okay, obvious sockie account as I don't want this to be directly associated with my other.

I was a £350 - £450 a day contractor, mostly doing shorter 2 - 4 month projects. Last year an old customer contacted me and offered me a £60k consulting role. It sounded like a dream come true - good money, less time away, stable income etc and it all came as the government seemed to be more and more intent on killing contracting. But, no matter how I try, I'm just not happy with the role and I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the problem is entirely me. I don't like having a boss, I don't like being told when and how to travel, I don't like HR's policies and the non-consultancy work that comes inbetween I'm finding very tedious. Truth be told, it seems I'd got used to the idea of the downtime between projects as being my own time. At first I was desperate to make it work, but even stints of Working From Home aren't making up for it at the moment.

And, of course, I'm now becoming the reason that people don't like hiring ex-contractors. I just wondered if anyone else has been in a similar situation? Did you eventually settle in and come to enjoy the stability? Did you go back contracting and settle back in to that? My worry is that this was a very good opportunity and I know they won't come around particularly often, so if I do leave I'm definitely stuck contracting for another few years. But then, I've done it once!

How did you get that username??

**2uk** · 17 March 2016, 12:29

Originally posted by sockie View Post

Okay, obvious sockie account as I don't want this to be directly associated with my other.

I was a £350 - £450 a day contractor, mostly doing shorter 2 - 4 month projects. Last year an old customer contacted me and offered me a £60k consulting role. It sounded like a dream come true - good money, less time away, stable income etc and it all came as the government seemed to be more and more intent on killing contracting. But, no matter how I try, I'm just not happy with the role and I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the problem is entirely me. I don't like having a boss, I don't like being told when and how to travel, I don't like HR's policies and the non-consultancy work that comes inbetween I'm finding very tedious. Truth be told, it seems I'd got used to the idea of the downtime between projects as being my own time. At first I was desperate to make it work, but even stints of Working From Home aren't making up for it at the moment.

And, of course, I'm now becoming the reason that people don't like hiring ex-contractors. I just wondered if anyone else has been in a similar situation? Did you eventually settle in and come to enjoy the stability? Did you go back contracting and settle back in to that? My worry is that this was a very good opportunity and I know they won't come around particularly often, so if I do leave I'm definitely stuck contracting for another few years. But then, I've done it once!

I am in the same boat, except havent started perm job yet, that is why I started the non-paid permie time thread. I am willing to relocate so that brings flexibility. If you have to work close to where you live.. you are what they say screwed .... you will pay for being sheeple. It will only get worse with age. It is the price of being a sheeple.

**northernladuk** · 17 March 2016, 12:29

Originally posted by Unix View Post

How did you get that username??

He wanted a sockie username that no one would respect and he could throw away but Unix was taken......

**Unix** · 17 March 2016, 12:31

Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

He wanted a sockie username that no one would respect and he could throw away but Unix was taken......

Ouch

**SimonMac** · 17 March 2016, 12:32

Originally posted by sockie View Post

Okay, obvious sockie account as I don't want this to be directly associated with my other.

I was a £350 - £450 a day contractor, mostly doing shorter 2 - 4 month projects. Last year an old customer contacted me and offered me a £60k consulting role. It sounded like a dream come true - good money, less time away, stable income etc and it all came as the government seemed to be more and more intent on killing contracting. But, no matter how I try, I'm just not happy with the role and I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the problem is entirely me. I don't like having a boss, I don't like being told when and how to travel, I don't like HR's policies and the non-consultancy work that comes inbetween I'm finding very tedious. Truth be told, it seems I'd got used to the idea of the downtime between projects as being my own time. At first I was desperate to make it work, but even stints of Working From Home aren't making up for it at the moment.

And, of course, I'm now becoming the reason that people don't like hiring ex-contractors. I just wondered if anyone else has been in a similar situation? Did you eventually settle in and come to enjoy the stability? Did you go back contracting and settle back in to that? My worry is that this was a very good opportunity and I know they won't come around particularly often, so if I do leave I'm definitely stuck contracting for another few years. But then, I've done it once!

I was in the exact same position last year, went permie to reskill but it went wrong (mostly my own doing) and came back to contracting, problem is I panicked and picked the first one offered which hasn't helped the confidence but is at least earning again.

Haven't given up having another try and reskilling, although as a contractor

**gables** · 17 March 2016, 12:34

Originally posted by sockie View Post

Okay, obvious sockie account as I don't want this to be directly associated with my other.

I was a £350 - £450 a day contractor, mostly doing shorter 2 - 4 month projects. Last year an old customer contacted me and offered me a £60k consulting role. It sounded like a dream come true - good money, less time away, stable income etc and it all came as the government seemed to be more and more intent on killing contracting. But, no matter how I try, I'm just not happy with the role and I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the problem is entirely me. I don't like having a boss, I don't like being told when and how to travel, I don't like HR's policies and the non-consultancy work that comes inbetween I'm finding very tedious. Truth be told, it seems I'd got used to the idea of the downtime between projects as being my own time. At first I was desperate to make it work, but even stints of Working From Home aren't making up for it at the moment.

And, of course, I'm now becoming the reason that people don't like hiring ex-contractors. I just wondered if anyone else has been in a similar situation? Did you eventually settle in and come to enjoy the stability? Did you go back contracting and settle back in to that? My worry is that this was a very good opportunity and I know they won't come around particularly often, so if I do leave I'm definitely stuck contracting for another few years. But then, I've done it once!

Slightly similar but here goes... I contracted between 1993-2002 and then setup a retail business which I ran between 2002-2007, at that point we shut down the business and I found a permie role on my doorstep, going straight back into contracting was a stretch.

After a short while I found the job a bit straightforward and wondered what to do, this was solved by a promotion, but that too lost it's shine... BUT it was regular money, stable, 15 mins from home - So yes I had settled in and with that came a level of comfort but it wasn't stretching me... So I returned to contracting and here I am a year later and a month into an extension, loving it :-)

If I were you, with the changes going on (both market place and legalisation), I'd be looking for as much training\skilling up as possible with a view to returning contracting.

**BlasterBates** · 17 March 2016, 12:36

Went permie after many years of contracting.

Yes fully agree the transition is very painful.....

It does get easier over time. The thing is, as you work your way into the job you do begin to become more independent. The begin is very difficult because you feel you're being told what to do all the time and "it sucks".

I've stuck with it because the company is around the corner from where I live and I don't want to travel any more. I really felt slinging in my resignation on many occasions, but finally I'm now "an expert" so I can do what the f*** I want, and now I boss all the contractors around

**northernladuk** · 17 March 2016, 12:38

I think you are confusing a couple of different issues up here. Firstly the difference between perm vs contracting and also the actual role you are doing. You keep allocating the term consultant against the method of employment. I think that's where the confusion lies. You can be a consultant in either capacity. Is it being perm that you don't like or being a consultant that you don't like?

There are so many different factors to consider for both. I don't think you are fully understanding the role and situation as Cojak alludes to. Consultants can be just another term for an office bod in some employers, at others they are quite senior and have a lot of autonomy. It's like the term BA, it's a pretty dumb title that covers everything from the apprentice to the guy that reshapes business.

I don't think the perm v contractor thing is as black and white as you say either. I don't think contracting automatically means many of those points disappear and there are some elements for a perm job that we miss, but we've forgotten. Not having work colleagues over time is one. I see so many of my friends who make friends with their work colleagues and social lives I do miss it. You a vast majority of your life at work so the social side must be part of it. It doesn't exist in our line of work and we get used to it but I do miss it I must say.

But anyway, what's the answer? We don't know. All that's happened is that something has changed. It's up to you how you deal with that change and if you can make it work for you. Some people can see it through so the pro's start emerging, some throw the towel in at the first hurdle and don't give it a chance. Just have to decide which one you are.....

Left for the holy grail permie job - not settling in at all