State of the Market

[PCTNN]

Better inside than dead, I guess. Anything's gonna beat my current £0/day gig

Yeah, everyone needs to draw the line somewhere.

I remember when IR35 changes kicked in a lot of contractors I knew were adamant they'd never take an inside gig and they'd rather be out of work. A lot of them were on the bench for 6+ months and now they're either permies or working inside ir35.

Everyone says they'll never break, until they break.

[ladymuck]

I've never understand this "never inside" or "never perm" mentality.

Have a preference, for sure, but never say never.

Sometimes taking a perm job will help you the gain experience and free training that will allow you change directions as a contractor, or simply gain access to markets that you'd otherwise struggle to get into.

An inside gig is better than no gig and I'd rather leave my war chest intact than use it up unnecessarily.

[northernladuk]

I've never understand this "never inside" or "never perm" mentality.

Have a preference, for sure, but never say never.

Sometimes taking a perm job will help you the gain experience and free training that will allow you change directions as a contractor, or simply gain access to markets that you'd otherwise struggle to get into.

An inside gig is better than no gig and I'd rather leave my war chest intact than use it up unnecessarily.

Me neither. IMO it's bordering on ridiculous. I've been inside albeit with a decent rate uplift and I've never felt better off. More cash than I can spend in the bank every month for a short period of time (over a full contracting career), moved on and happy days. I'll do it again tomorrow if I need to.

It's short term, it hardly puts you on the breadline, it's no indication of how bad/good the work is and so on. If you can't afford to go inside then that's your fault, not the tax status of the role.

To just discount it carte blanche is just ridiculous. Yes laugh off the agents wanting 400 a day inside when you are a 500 a day outside contractor by all means but to write the whole concept off just because is plain daft

[ensignia]

Better inside than dead, I guess. Anything's gonna beat my current £0/day gig

You weren't saying this a few months ago when you were goading others for not being "true suppliers"...

Inside contracts are not going anywhere, everyone has just rolled over and accepted.

And tbh, like NLUK said, it's actually not too bad, I got paid a nice sum weekly into my personal account while my other gigs topped up the company coffers. Inside rates tend to be around 25% higher anyway so it's not too much of a hit.

[DitchTheBox]

I have removed some of my experience from my CV now I am nearly 50.

I am quite lucky in that I look young as well but sooner later I am sure I will start being rejected fir culture fit reasons.

Not to go down an age discrimination hole - but, I have found that I have done better with interviews over the phone, versus video chat.

I also cut back my CV to hide 20+ year old stuff.

I'm going to try the same then I think and trim my CV. Will see how the rest of this week goes with agency/interview feedback, and if there are no bites I'll see if an overhaul improves things. Same here - I've done fewer and brief telephone interviews and got decent gigs really quickly before.

[ladymuck]

I've trimmed my CV for years. It only shows about the last 5-8 gigs. Putting stuff I did in 1992 is of no interest to anyone.

[eek]

I've trimmed my CV for years. It only shows about the last 5-8 gigs. Putting stuff I did in 1992 is of no interest to anyone.

+1 - were I to update things it would only go back 10 years - as that's enough time to show you are time served, know wtf you are talking about and have appropriate battle scars ..

[PCTNN]

Same. It also depends on what role I apply for or the sector even.

Like, if I apply for a Lead designer role in the public sector, why would I bother including that gig I did 3 years ago as a mid/senior designer in banking.

[hugebrain]

I've never understand this "never inside" or "never perm" mentality.

Have a preference, for sure, but never say never.

Sometimes taking a perm job will help you the gain experience and free training that will allow you change directions as a contractor, or simply gain access to markets that you'd otherwise struggle to get into.

An inside gig is better than no gig and I'd rather leave my war chest intact than use it up unnecessarily.

That seems reasonable. Can I respectfully suggest that all you quitters and that can’t get a real contract start your own board? The permielosers.com domain is available for example.

[hungry_hog]

I've trimmed my CV for years. It only shows about the last 5-8 gigs. Putting stuff I did in 1992 is of no interest to anyone.

yeah but this is contractor UK so surely you put your Double First from Cambridge and Chairman of the Hawks Club on there