Going perm or waiting it out - numbers

[GhostofTarbera]

That's because you're probably talking about contractors who had years if not decades of outside ir35 contracts, some of them might even have been tax avoiders/permies in disguise who stayed at the same client for years doing bau, earning higher rates than current ones.

I'm sure if you asked contractors who just started contracting say 1 year ago, even 2 years ago, the answers you'd get will be much more mixed because of
- rates getting lower
- ir35
- permie salaries growing

Indeed it’s a different world from even 3/5 years ago, before that any muppet could get £600 a days roles for years as a permietractor


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[Cookielove]

I could not return to perm work....at my place the line manager is a control freak! All the perms at my level dance to the manager's tune and have to appease her as their pay rise, bonus, share options depend on this person's say so. They have to bend over backwards to keep her sweet...and everything is controlled time off. attending courses...weekly updates on what you are doing/have achieved. If you don't take on extra work that affects your promotion prospects...sod that! Life is short I could not return to that setup...I'd feel stifled.

[northernladuk]

So what you mean is you wouldn't go perm at your current client. That's totally different to would never consider perm anywhere.

[JohnM]

Wait it out, at least until this time next year

[GhostofTarbera]

Wait it out, at least until this time next year

No one will employ someone with a big gap in the CV


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[JohnM]

No one will employ someone with a big gap in the CV


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No what I mean is carry on contracting till this time next year before giving up and going perm

[SussexSeagull]

No one will employ someone with a big gap in the CV


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I got back in after a year off.

[GhostofTarbera]

I got back in after a year off.

You are special


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[jayn200]

You are special


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Its up to you how you present yourself and how you write your CV. It's not a legal document.

There are ways of making the gaps less apparent without lying. For example by just using year instead of month or exact date. You can also put the date range you've been contracting and then put the contracts as subheadings, again you can use years here or even just contract length and leave start and end dates off completely. I am sure there are other strategies.

Me personally I have always only ever used years. So I could write

2016 - 2017
2018 - 2020

And have a 18 month gap from March 2017 to September 2018. The gap could also be as short as 1-2 months so they have no idea.

Of course that will come out in interview but at least at this point you've had a chance to sell yourself.

[lecyclist]

Have you taken the "contractor mentality" (patent pending) questionnaire?

1. Is your profession simply a way to make money to fund other interests.
2. Do you agree with the saying "The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have".
3. Are you prepared to work almost anywhere in the world.
4. Are you comfortable taking responsibility for every aspect of your life (skills development, finding work, finding accommodation, tax management, pension planning).
5. Would you consider yourself a contrarian to mainstream thoughts and opinions.
6. Do you have competent presentation and communication skills in your chosen profession.

and the bonus question (not essential, but useful)

7. Are you competent in your chosen profession.



If you answered "yes" to the above, then you will thrive as a contractor and will never have a shortage of work.

If you answered "no" to question 7, consider that the world is a big place, and you will have many opportunities to learn your trade and still have a future in contracting.