How many years as a Permie before you took the leap into contracting?

[MyUserName]

I was permie for about 12 years, spent about 3 contracting and then came back to the permie world.

[SueEllen]

Yes i'm aware of the IR35 rule, but I'm currently contracting in Europe, not the UK.

So why are you asking questions on Contractor UK?

Working practices and culture are different in the UK compared to different European countries. For example in many European countries if they think you are educated enough and have similar experience, they give you the chance if you haven't done the role before but in most of the UK you have to fit the role description.

[LondonManc]

12 years perm before I felt confident enough to get that elusive second contract. Touch wood, I've only had one significant piece of bench time since I went contracting.

[FrontEnder]

10 years permie - 4-5 in the relevant area. I'm a web developer/designer, which was a bit of a hobby beforehand, so I already had a reasonable amount of experience before doing it professionally.

[zeus91]

So why are you asking questions on Contractor UK?

Working practices and culture are different in the UK compared to different European countries. For example in many European countries if they think you are educated enough and have similar experience, they give you the chance if you haven't done the role before but in most of the UK you have to fit the role description.

I'm from the UK and started my career in there, currently in Europe but planning to return back to the UK after this contract, and that's where I foresee my future.

[Lance]

What I want to ask you guys is how long do you think is the 'right' amount of experience/years before someone should ideally look to start contracting specifically for a BA/PM role in a London IB. How long did you guys stay perm (if at all) before you took the leap, and what was your respective area/skill.

There is no 'right'. I went after 20 years, but should have gone with 2/3 years as the market was more buoyant then but I lacked confidence. And if I had done I would have coined it in doing y2k patching rather than working for a company who charged me out at £1200 a day doing y2k patching and paying me around £30k p.a.

[dwater]

7 years permanent, then 1.5 years contracting, then 19 years permanent, and now contracting again.

[jmo21]

8 years permanent, but those were a mix of rubbish permie jobs.

I've more learned more in the following 8 years contracting than I ever did in my permie jobs believe it or not.

I made the jump because I felt I was as good as many of the contractors I'd worked beside (probably very naive!) and thought why not give it a go. I had a hefty warchest (thanks to reading CUK), with no dependants at that point in time though, so it wasn't that big a risk.

Took me 2 months to get my first contract, and that was a 3 week contract to backfill for a contractor that left abruptly. It was better than nothing at the time, and turned into a 6 monther.
My 2nd contract took me 5 months to find (the dreaded second contract!)

It has been a lot better since then thankfully, and I don't regret it for a second.

[northernladuk]

15 or so years perm for me.

[lacan]

I had 5 years permanent which I finished in Jan this year, only on second contract but going well so far. 2 interviews, 2 offers, 2 offers to extend.

I felt I wasn't learning anything as a perm anyway, might as well make the leap and train myself between contracts.