Going perm or waiting it out - numbers

[TheDogsNads]

The reason you want to go perm is critical. If you can't convey it clearly and authentically in a single sentence, it is very difficult to convince a recruiter or hiring manager you are serious. I know of cases recently where a contractor has joined for a perm role and already resigned before they were due to start to take up another contract role.

There is a lot of bias against contractors going perm in many organisations but forward thinking ones are mopping up very good contractors at what may have been less competitive salary levels compared to the start of the year. My current client has recruited some top talent like this recently. Sure, some of them may leave in a year but overall it's a net gain.

Yes, totally agree. Those contractors who say they want a permanent role, secure it then piss off quickly for a contract role make it even harder for the next contractor to make the change. Agents and clients dont like being pissed around,more so clients, Id say.

[pictavia]

The reason you want to go perm is critical. If you can't convey it clearly and authentically in a single sentence, it is very difficult to convince a recruiter or hiring manager you are serious. I know of cases recently where a contractor has joined for a perm role and already resigned before they were due to start to take up another contract role.

Job design is key to retaining good staff. Sadly, there are lots of permanent roles in software development that have little in the way of accountabilities or involvement with the business, just a technical resource picking up tickets from an agile board. I worked in HR systems for a large bank and the main reasons people gave in their exit questionnaires included low job satisfaction or a lack of career prospects; few left for more money. If managers want to retain IT staff, they need to offer exciting, varied roles with genuine prospects for career development.

[jayn200]

Job design is key to retaining good staff. Sadly, there are lots of permanent roles in software development that have little in the way of accountabilities or involvement with the business, just a technical resource picking up tickets from an agile board. I worked in HR systems for a large bank and the main reasons people gave in their exit questionnaires included low job satisfaction or a lack of career prospects; few left for more money. If managers want to retain IT staff, they need to offer exciting, varied roles with genuine prospects for career development.

I agree I started off as a software developer when i was perm and I moved into BI (now also doing some data migrations) for that very reason. Software development was too far away from the business and was a thankless job. In BI it's completely different. Very close relationship to the business and lots of exposure.

Obviously now as a contractor maybe it doesn't matter as much anymore.