Urgent advice

[BrilloPad]

Only you can answer this. We know nothing about your personal circumstances beyond the couple of lines in your post. Our own circumstances are totally different, so what we would do is irrelevant.

Sums up exactly what I was thinking.

[ruasonid]

my attitude to long term contracts is 'I'll believe it when I bank the money'. There's no guarantee of anything these days.

It's a day rate, isn't it. Day by day.

[uk contractor]

£62K for Active Directory is excessive right now (these roles are being outsourced left right and centre to Indian out-source workers on £100 a day!). I would stick to perm if you believe the job is stable as contracts promising 450 a day are only great if you get to bank all of that money for the entire contract length. More often than not contracts end early your potential £2250 + VAT per week will get noticed by the accountants sooner or later they will pull their MBA playbook out & recommend the role is converted to perm or rates reduced when costs need to be contained. Working from home also flags up to me its not likely to be a long term role on those rates either.


Finally ask your self why would a company pay you £135K PA (inc VAT for 51 weeks) for a long period of time when they can probably get a perm to do the same role for way less or outsource for even less still and get a nice 7 figure insurance policy from the outsourcer or management consultancy. These companies are constantly touting for business you could not stop them poaching your job & would be the last person to know about it as well so if you do go for the 450 a day role build a healthy warchest of at least 3-6 months so you have a fall back option if the contract vanishes before you expect it to!


That salary level is more than many CEO's get so expect to be under intense scrutiny at some time if its a long term role the cost will get flagged up at the board level sooner or later! I suspect its probably just a few months work but sold as longer so they can get someone to jump ship. In this downturn IT market its hard to imagine many boards paying £135K for long just using common sense alone!!!

[pauly]

Came out of contracting after 3 years to take a 62k role and specialise in Active Directory

Now been offered long term contract at 450 per day mainly based at home

Should i take the risk ? Money is tight since i went back permy but i also know you shouldnt go into contract for the money and permy role is on my door step

Advice ?

..better advice in this thread. My 2cents - have you negotiated the current offer? - get a zero notice period for the contract length - you don't leave/they don't fire you (unless you do something in breach of contract). Seems reasonable if they want you that bad.

[MyUserName]

Came out of contracting after 3 years to take a 62k role and specialise in Active Directory

Now been offered long term contract at 450 per day mainly based at home

Should i take the risk ? Money is tight since i went back permy but i also know you shouldnt go into contract for the money and permy role is on my door step

Advice ?

If you have to ask whether or not to take a contract over a permie job do not take it. £450 a day is only £450 a day when you have worked that day, £62k is a decent salary every month.

What happens when this contract finishes and the market is quite (which it is right now) and no permie employer will touch you because you have demonstrated that you will return back to contracting as soon as you hear a good rate? What happens if you take the contract and it gets binned after a month or two?

I would play the long game* and stick with the perm job. You are not committed to contracting or you would not have asked and if you are not committed do not do it.

* I literally did a few years ago. I had the choice of a perm job on about £60k or a contract on £650 a day. I took the perm job and am still there now.

[lukemg]

If you have to ask whether or not to take a contract over a permie job do not take it. £450 a day is only £450 a day when you have worked that day, £62k is a decent salary every month.

What happens when this contract finishes and the market is quite (which it is right now) and no permie employer will touch you because you have demonstrated that you will return back to contracting as soon as you hear a good rate? What happens if you take the contract and it gets binned after a month or two?

I would play the long game* and stick with the perm job. You are not committed to contracting or you would not have asked and if you are not committed do not do it.

* I literally did a few years ago. I had the choice of a perm job on about £60k or a contract on £650 a day. I took the perm job and am still there now.

I don't know anyone who would choose that, 650/day everytime !
OP - If you are undecided, ask for 500, if they say no, they have made the decision for you, otherwise, even more coin.
Either way, these will not be your last jobs no matter what the market is, you can change course if you need to, chuck some training at it etc This is not a cliff edge decision.
BUT, decision is personal, depends on your circumstances, family, war chest (not much by the sounds), own confidence about getting next job etc etc.

[MyUserName]

I don't know anyone who would choose that, 650/day everytime !

The tricky part was it was in London and I would not have able to do the school run (both kids and wife is a teacher) and I am the only driver. It would mean a large change and a lot of hassle. After 6 months things might end up changing again. Mini MUN is autistic and does not do well with things changing.

Overall a reliable 45 minute commute made sense from a family point of view despite the difference in money. I miss the money and it has changed things a fair amount but I do not regret it.

[Lance]

Now been offered long term contract at 450 per day mainly based at home

When you say 'offered' do you mean that you have a signed contract, provided by the agent, that has been checked out by a professional reviewer, and is just waiting for your signature?

If not, then you don't yet have an offer. In that case pursue it as you may not get it and that solves your question.

However the fact that you're thinking about it suggests that you would quit the permie job for the right offer so why not push them for £550 a day?

If you do turn it down how long before you start to look again?

As other have said:
1) what do you want
2) £62k is pretty good salary for something you're close to.
3) Stop drinking champagne.

[steve80]

re

Thanks fellas

Decision has been made easier, just been told my job is at risk of redundancy. Funny how things work out
Back to contracting it is. Looks like permy is nothing like permanent these days ay

[northernladuk]

Back to contracting it is. Looks like permy is nothing like permanent these days ay

Anyone that thinks it is must have head their heads stuck their bums for the last 10+ years