Going perm or waiting it out - numbers

[SussexSeagull]

I just got renewed until the end of the year. It’s via a ‘boutique consultancy’ as others have mentioned. They do the hard work of finding the clients, sell a bit of leadership on top and then call up the consultants and place onsite.

All outside IR35 and contracts are based on outcomes.

Not sure what will happen after December. I’ll probably take a long extended break. After 22 years in the business I’m tired. Got a nice big war chest (in S&S ISAs and SIPPs) so may not come back...




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My last contract was through a consultancy that loosely fits that description and they were happy to have me outside IR35. Be interesting to see what the HMRC think about similar arrangements from next April.

[heyya99]

I would never work for a company that deems themselves a 'boutique consultancy'.

[northernladuk]

I would never work for a company that deems themselves a 'boutique consultancy'.

You still here? This isn't Failed Contractor UK you know.

[perplexed]

My last contract was through a consultancy that loosely fits that description and they were happy to have me outside IR35. Be interesting to see what the HMRC think about similar arrangements from next April.

Had a gig with a "boutique consultancy" last year, didn't last long - two weeks in, demanded I perform out of hours support work on a rota - apparently that was always part of the deal just that they conveniently forgot to tell agent, forgot to raise at any stage of the process and indeed forgot to include in contract, statement of work. Told to accept by 5pm via email or be terminated. Couldn't accept anyway as had no access to email on site. Did the responsible thing considering IR35 and replied that I'd consider it with a separate contract / amended contract, had a number of questions around the support needed - ie predicted levels, access to production if required, SLAs for the support, consequences if unavailable etc.

Got terminated.

Still, it's nice to know they big themselves up but in reality most UK boutique consultancies are no better than the offshore Infosys types. Just slightly higher standard of quality. Bring in contractors to do the work, bring in loads of cheap grads they then shift around the country lacking the skills to do the work, pay them a pittance and charge highly for them...

[SussexSeagull]

I would never work for a company that deems themselves a 'boutique consultancy'.

Most of them probably don't but it is a relatively useful shorthand for the rest of us.

[SussexSeagull]

Had a gig with a "boutique consultancy" last year, didn't last long - two weeks in, demanded I perform out of hours support work on a rota - apparently that was always part of the deal just that they conveniently forgot to tell agent, forgot to raise at any stage of the process and indeed forgot to include in contract, statement of work. Told to accept by 5pm via email or be terminated. Couldn't accept anyway as had no access to email on site. Did the responsible thing considering IR35 and replied that I'd consider it with a separate contract / amended contract, had a number of questions around the support needed - ie predicted levels, access to production if required, SLAs for the support, consequences if unavailable etc.

Got terminated.

Still, it's nice to know they big themselves up but in reality most UK boutique consultancies are no better than the offshore Infosys types. Just slightly higher standard of quality. Bring in contractors to do the work, bring in loads of cheap grads they then shift around the country lacking the skills to do the work, pay them a pittance and charge highly for them...

You were very hard done by but that is very much an outlier.

[BABABlackSheep]

I know I've said this before, but I think my consultancy background is what made my transition to contracting so so easy. The vast majority of the mindset is near identical IMHO

The idea that I would, or could, contract close to home just wasn't on the cards - I follow the projects, and have for a decade now.

It’s the same for me, although, I’ve not had to travel away that much since contracting apart from the client paying for me to work a few days in London every week for a couple of years.

At a consultancy, I went all over the world and had a number of long stints in this country renting out flats near the offices.

My take home is double my consultancy pay where they used to bill me out at between £900-£1500 a day.

[heyya99]

You still here? This isn't Failed Contractor UK you know.

Your presence would suggest otherwise.

[vwdan]

It’s the same for me, although, I’ve not had to travel away that much since contracting apart from the client paying for me to work a few days in London every week for a couple of years.

At a consultancy, I went all over the world and had a number of long stints in this country renting out flats near the offices.

My take home is double my consultancy pay where they used to bill me out at between £900-£1500 a day.

Yep, literally left the consultancy on a Friday, started a contract role on the Monday and doubled my take home!

[edison]

Had a gig with a "boutique consultancy" last year, didn't last long - two weeks in, demanded I perform out of hours support work on a rota - apparently that was always part of the deal just that they conveniently forgot to tell agent, forgot to raise at any stage of the process and indeed forgot to include in contract, statement of work. Told to accept by 5pm via email or be terminated. Couldn't accept anyway as had no access to email on site. Did the responsible thing considering IR35 and replied that I'd consider it with a separate contract / amended contract, had a number of questions around the support needed - ie predicted levels, access to production if required, SLAs for the support, consequences if unavailable etc.

Got terminated.

Still, it's nice to know they big themselves up but in reality most UK boutique consultancies are no better than the offshore Infosys types. Just slightly higher standard of quality. Bring in contractors to do the work, bring in loads of cheap grads they then shift around the country lacking the skills to do the work, pay them a pittance and charge highly for them...

Most of the boutique consultancies I know have lots of associates who have been senior consultants and/or had senior permie/interim roles. We're talking day rates of £800 up. Anything approaching offshore Infosys type roles can't be classed in the same bracket as boutique consulting.