Newbie

[quackhandle]

Do not under any circumstances throw the perm job until you have a firm offer & your mortgage is fully paid up plus you have a healthy bank balance to live on in the meantime. Not being funny but after 17 years perm you are going to struggle to land a contracting role without being immediately available. That is just the way it is. Market forces mean more IT contractors than ever before on the bench. Whatever you think you have skillset wise I guarantee there are many others who have similar plus the all important contracting experience. One uphill climb you have to seriously face is after 17 years in the same job many hiring managers will simply ask themselves why now to leave & also how hard will you be to change culturally into someone who fits into their organisation if you have 17 years with the same company unless your a senior manager its going to be tough to overcome that perception. This means rate wise you need to be prepared to work for very low rates to establish yourself as a contractor.

As for agents they only contact you if they want you or have an update most of the time they will ignore you as no money in it for them unless they are placing you in an interview or actual contract. You have to think of most agents as commission based sale people with minimal to zero IT knowledge so be prepared for a lot of poor communications & lack of empathy. The agency account managers are more savvy most have been doing it a long time but its rare to speak to them until the client has looked at your CV & shown a lot of interest.


If anyone told you IT contracting is easy & or the money is gigantic they probably forgot to mention that was 15-20 years ago right now its about lower rates & ticking all the required boxes & even then you have to compete against not just UK born IT contractor but all of EU & the Indian Tier 2 visa workers who will do almost anything IT wise for £100 a day!!

This. 17 years as a permy you are going to find contracting quite an alien world to what you are used to.

Good luck if you persevere with (you may have to do this for quite a while).

qh

[fatJock]

I think the OP has already packed it in.....would have been better to try negotiate an exit. That’s what I did after a 15 year stint and it helped lessen the risk giving me a few quid to support myself until I got an offer without dipping into savings. As it was I started my first contract three weeks after so didn’t really need it but it was a comfort and am sure it helped me during interviews as I wasn’t that fussed, I was thinking my first few would come to nothing but be good experience. As it was I had a couple of offers.

To be fair though I’d already got everything set up for contracting (ltd, website, accountant, bank account, insurance etc). You’ll be doing all that on your own dollar now OP if contracting is to be what you end up doing.

I get what people are saying, it’s hard to convince folks after such a long term perm position but it can be done! No negativity, just say new challenge, lifestyle choice, more autonomy etc .... it can be done. Good luck!