State of the Market

[jayn200]

whats the lowest perm salary you guys would take?

Im in contract so probably would take 100-120k to lure me over to the dark side.

If I was sitting out then probably about 60k... That's about my break even living in London any less and I'm better off doing something else entirely.

I plan on leaving after this contract if I don't secure another contract within a month. Won't even bother applying perm, salaries are just too low to make it worthwhile to live in london and it takes too long to go through hiring process. I don't want to commute in to the city either. Maybe if this all this remote work becomes more permanent change then the economics can change and it might become viable to work a perm job.

Obviously other people's circumstances will be different.

[coolhandluke]

I'm just about to pull the trigger on a switch back to perm. 50% less than my top contracting rate but allows me to move away from the coalface whilst not depleting the war-chest. Pension is great so it's an opportunity to top that up whilst re-skilling. 37 days holiday too!

Over lockdown I completed a couple of certifications in the new role so will hopefully move back in contracting once the triple whammy of covid, brexit and IR35 has settled down.

[WTFH]

whats the lowest perm salary you guys would take?

That’s an unanswerable question.
Job, quality of life, cost of living.

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied, “only a little while. The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The American then asked, “but what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos.
I have a full and busy life.”
The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.
Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”
To which the American replied, “15 – 20 years.”
“But what then?” Asked the Mexican.
The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions!”
“Millions – then what?”
The American said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

[northernladuk]

whats the lowest perm salary you guys would take?

Depends

[vwdan]

Depends

Zero hours contracts at Maccy's don't count NLUK!

[edison]

That’s an unanswerable question.
Job, quality of life, cost of living.

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied, “only a little while. The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The American then asked, “but what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos.
I have a full and busy life.”
The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.
Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”
To which the American replied, “15 – 20 years.”
“But what then?” Asked the Mexican.
The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions!”
“Millions – then what?”
The American said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

I've heard that story several times and it always makes me smile. There's some truth in it too...

[edison]

My lack of SC seems to stop me doing anything in the Public Sector at the moment.

Not all roles in the public sector need security clearance. I can't imagine it is a requirement to work in further education, local government or the NHS for example?

[PCTNN]

whats the lowest perm salary you guys would take?

The lowest I'd take would obviously have to be a salary that just about covers my minimum expenses, so something around 30k. Just enough to pay mortgage, utilities, council tax and food.

And, to be honest, these jobs are just as difficult to get. You're clearly overqualified, and employers kinda know you'd probably jump when a better paid job comes along. In these cases you need to take your CV and dumb it down

[BlasterBates]

That’s an unanswerable question.
Job, quality of life, cost of living.

I did hear once that in primitive societies they spend most of their time lazing around, something like around 80%.

[vwdan]

The lowest I'd take would obviously have to be a salary that just about covers my minimum expenses, so something around 30k. Just enough to pay mortgage, utilities, council tax and food.

And, to be honest, these jobs are just as difficult to get. You're clearly overqualified, and employers kinda know you'd probably jump when a better paid job comes along. In these cases you need to take your CV and dumb it down

This is honestly, a serious issue. When I first went contract my fall back was always "Grab a random, two a penny £30k engineering role" which, at the time I'd have walked into. 6 years on and it just ain't the case - I'm even struggling to get slightly junior contract roles. Which is annoying because tbh the pay isn't far off the senior ones but everybody just seens you as a huge flight risk, a threat or just potential hard work