Anyone who has 'went perm', how has it been?

[LondonManc]

Had a sinking, claustrophobic, feeling the moment I got the contract. Lasted ten months, left with nowhere to go.

Enough about your marriage, we're talking about perm vs contract here.

[vwdan]

Enough about your marriage, we're talking about perm vs contract here.

Don't be silly, it's nothing like my marriage. _{I can't afford to leave} (I kid I kid!)

[LondonManc]

Don't be silly, it's nothing like my marriage. _{I can't afford to leave} (I kid I kid!)

No you don't. Many of us realised that we're stuck with them until youngest parasite has finished uni.

Seriously, though, back on topic.

Had a sinking, claustrophobic, feeling the moment I got the contract. Lasted ten months, left with nowhere to go.

Was this a perm job and if so:
Why did you go perm?
What went badly?

[vwdan]

Was this a perm job and if so:
Why did you go perm?
What went badly?

Yeah, it was a perm job. It was back in 2015, so I'd only been contracting 2.5 years. It was a bit of an odd situation - I was actually half pondering another permie role at a different org that I was being pressed for (I don't like the phrase headhunted as they weren't offering me the job outright, but they were very keen to talk).

Anyway, I reached out to an old client (who had since been absorbed into a larger org) for some insider knowledge. Just a casual chat, see if they'd worked with the company/team I was interviewing with etc. When they found out I was at least half considering permie, they sent a director to interview me and matched my contract take home. So from a bit of a "half pondering" situation, I was left with a bit of an offer I couldn't refuse.

(I should add, these aren't huge numbers compared to some banded around here! It wasn't a six figure job or anything)

It's easy for me to blame the job, because it certainly had a lot of flaws (not least of which, they didn't *really* know what they wanted to do with me) but the truth is I just wasn't ready for permie life again. I wasn't exaggerating, as soon as the contract came through and I read about the holiday policy, the sickness policy, rules for this, rules for that I had cold feet. The cash was nice, but I never really settled into the role.

After ten months, the company was brought out and I just called it quits. The bigger company already had a division doing what I was doing, so figured I couldn't be arsed to deal with the incoming politics. Went back to contracting, very happily.

Although there is plenty about the job I can point to that I disliked, it has really scared me off permie roles. I've come to really love contracting, and I think I'll find it very very hard if I have to go back.

[LondonManc]

Yeah, it was a perm job. It was back in 2015, so I'd only been contracting 2.5 years. It was a bit of an odd situation - I was actually half pondering another permie role at a different org that I was being pressed for (I don't like the phrase headhunted as they weren't offering me the job outright, but they were very keen to talk).

Anyway, I reached out to an old client (who had since been absorbed into a larger org) for some insider knowledge. Just a casual chat, see if they'd worked with the company/team I was interviewing with etc. When they found out I was at least half considering permie, they sent a director to interview me and matched my contract take home. So from a bit of a "half pondering" situation, I was left with a bit of an offer I couldn't refuse.

(I should add, these aren't huge numbers compared to some banded around here! It wasn't a six figure job or anything)

It's easy for me to blame the job, because it certainly had a lot of flaws (not least of which, they didn't *really* know what they wanted to do with me) but the truth is I just wasn't ready for permie life again. I wasn't exaggerating, as soon as the contract came through and I read about the holiday policy, the sickness policy, rules for this, rules for that I had cold feet. The cash was nice, but I never really settled into the role.

After ten months, the company was brought out and I just called it quits. The bigger company already had a division doing what I was doing, so figured I couldn't be arsed to deal with the incoming politics. Went back to contracting, very happily.

Yeah, I've never been too worried about the holiday rules. As long as I can get a good two-week chill somewhere, that's fine by me. Typically 30 days is enough to have the breaks that I want. Sickness policies have got stricter because firms often have call centre staff taking the p**s and everyone gets the same blanket policy.

I think not knowing how to use you is probably the key, that and you'd only just gone contracting. Getting fed up of living away after for the most of ten years is something different. If I could guarantee at least 9 months of contract work every year within reasonably easy commute of my house, I'd never have considered going perm again. Work-life balance >>>> money.

[vwdan]

Yeah, I've never been too worried about the holiday rules. As long as I can get a good two-week chill somewhere, that's fine by me. Typically 30 days is enough to have the breaks that I want. Sickness policies have got stricter because firms often have call centre staff taking the p**s and everyone gets the same blanket policy.

I think not knowing how to use you is probably the key, that and you'd only just gone contracting. Getting fed up of living away after for the most of ten years is something different. If I could guarantee at least 9 months of contract work every year within reasonably easy commute of my house, I'd never have considered going perm again. Work-life balance >>>> money.

Yeah, so I think another side is that while they matched the money, the work was very very similar to contract life. I.e., consulting. So I was still on the road a fair bit, and while expenses were paid, I was now dancing to somebody else's tune.

I'm certainly not "anti-permie", but for me it cemented how much of contracting I enjoyed

[Cookielove]

I’m not up for permie unless I was a contractor first to get the vibe. The place I’m at is mainly permanents. The boss is awful no people skills at all, he expects no chat nothing but work, work, when we were all in the office. Coffee breaks he frowned on and you are expected to make up time if you’ve time to make a drink I kid you not! Micro manager too in the extreme. I could say more but wary on a forum. Suffice to say glad I’m short term as you never really know til you join. For the permies their payrises, bonus, shares etc dictated by this moron so they’ve to jump through hoops be always available and online , show off in meetings blah blah blah to keep him onside and it’s an impossible task as he wants blood! I’d rather poke my eyes out than be beholding... much happier in contracting world and not selling your soul for a bonus /pay rise!!

[quackhandle]

I’m not up for permie unless I was a contractor first to get the vibe. The place I’m at is mainly permanents. The boss is awful no people skills at all, he expects no chat nothing but work, work, when we were all in the office. Coffee breaks he frowned on and you are expected to make up time if you’ve time to make a drink I kid you not! Micro manager too in the extreme. I could say more but wary on a forum. Suffice to say glad I’m short term as you never really know til you join. For the permies their payrises, bonus, shares etc dictated by this moron so they’ve to jump through hoops be always available and online , show off in meetings blah blah blah to keep him onside and it’s an impossible task as he wants blood! I’d rather poke my eyes out than be beholding... much happier in contracting world and not selling your soul for a bonus /pay rise!!

In other words he wants the brown nosers to suck up to him, probably plays them off one another.

We have all worked for tossers like this, part of the reason we are freelance/contract.

qh

[PerfectStorm]

I'd rather die in a ditch than go perm ever again.

Same. It's hard enough being expected to cheerlead for the company as a contractor, but as a Perm you're genuinely expected to believe in it.

[elsergiovolador]

I wonder which opportunities site adds filtering inside / outside first?

I am tired of looking at 11 offers and learning most of them are inside after opening the details.