Bit of a dilemma but a nice dilemma

[mojomo]

Hi

I have been contracting for almost 18 years and went from contract to perm just before the pandemic hit at my existing company. Mainly due to security to be honest and they needed me but couldnt afford to keep me due to the financial situation caused by COVID.

Almost 2 yrs later, I have been offered a route out back to contract although it is inside IR35 and they are willing to wait for me until a shortened notice period has elapsed.

I think the stifling effect being perm has had on me has got to me where you become a cog in the mill and have less impact now that you are no longer an expensive resource.

Has anyone else had a similar experience where being perm actually is very detrimental to your your skill set and mind ? I feel all the energy I had when I was consulting has been sapped out of me.

Just an interesting topic.

[TheDude]

Hi

I have been contracting for almost 18 years and went from contract to perm just before the pandemic hit at my existing company. Mainly due to security to be honest and they needed me but couldnt afford to keep me due to the financial situation caused by COVID.

Almost 2 yrs later, I have been offered a route out back to contract although it is inside IR35 and they are willing to wait for me until a shortened notice period has elapsed.

I think the stifling effect being perm has had on me has got to me where you become a cog in the mill and have less impact now that you are no longer an expensive resource.

Has anyone else had a similar experience where being perm actually is very detrimental to your your skill set and mind ? I feel all the energy I had when I was consulting has been sapped out of me.

Just an interesting topic.

I worked for a US bank notorious for poor work life balance and I felt physically ill by the end of my tenure which was when I left to go contracting.

Any sort of quality took a back seat to trying to keep 10 people happy at once and every day on the desk was and endless slog of fixing other peoples bugs.

Bonus and promotions were not based on how well you did your job - they were based on the work you did stopping late and making sure they right managers knew about.

Never again.

[mojomo]

Spot on..as a contractor turned perm my standards have not dropped but neither are they rewarded in a way that provides satisfaction.

[northernladuk]

Hi

I have been contracting for almost 18 years and went from contract to perm just before the pandemic hit at my existing company. Mainly due to security to be honest and they needed me but couldnt afford to keep me due to the financial situation caused by COVID.

Nothing wrong with that. Probably the smart move compared to a lot of contractors that hit the bench over the period.

Almost 2 yrs later, I have been offered a route out back to contract although it is inside IR35 and they are willing to wait for me until a shortened notice period has elapsed.

If you've got the comfort blanket of perm while you find a contract I certainly wouldn't be picking an inside gig to go to. I think the fact you've been offered one is clouding your judgement. You could apply for any number of gigs while you are happily working so why not wait for an outside one? There is a good chance it's inside because they just want to treat you like a perm and the situation will be no better. It's pay increase yes but not the best one you could get. Why take an inside gig when you've all the time in the world to look for an outside one. Is there something about this gig that's so good you are willing to go inside or is it just the excitement of having an option in your mit? I'd say you've only got the 2nd best option and are getting too giddy about it.

I think the stifling effect being perm has had on me has got to me where you become a cog in the mill and have less impact now that you are no longer an expensive resource.

I think this is just your mind set. Yes I get some perm jobs can be bad as the second poster mentioned but a lot of contractors ruin perfectly good perm roles by trying to compare it to contracting in which case you'll never be happy. Plenty of perm roles out there that people can be happy in for many many years. You may just be the type of person that gets itchy after a set amount of time somewhere, contracting or perm. I certainly am. I've left three roles that last nearly 2 years because I'd just had enough. Suffered one gig for nearly 4 years in the early days because I thought I had to keep billing so not going to make that mistake ever again.
It's not really true contractors are an expensive resource either. If you look at the charge sheets for projects you'll see the perm guys are billed at the same as contractors. Usually double the pay because there are overheads like HR and all that. Contractors are at cost because they don't have all that. We still cost the business the same at the end of the day. Contractors are treated differently yes, but because they are 'expensive' really.
The only reason you feel like a cog in the mill is because you are settled and I'll bet you feel somewhat similar in a 2 year contracting gig. That is unless you've just picked a crap perm role. Again, I think this is perception rather than reality. Could be wrong of course.

Has anyone else had a similar experience where being perm actually is very detrimental to your your skill set and mind ? I feel all the energy I had when I was consulting has been sapped out of me.

Contracting roles can also be detrimental to your skill set as well. The client has a need and they either fill it with a perm or a contractor. Whoever gets the gig regardless of engagement method is going to suffer the same problem if the role requires it. You can get an exciting contract gig where you are working with cutting edge tech or you can get one where you have to churn some out date skills. Thing with contracting is you won't get the exciting gigs unless you've already skilled up. At least in perm if you show willing you can get on the new tech as a learning curve. I think the situation you are in is just a poor perm role. If you leave the contractor that steps in is going to have to do the same if you get me.

If you are really hacked off then leave for sure but in many cases I don't think going contracting is the quick fix. You could go find a better perm role that would tick all the boxes you've mentioned. Just depends if there are other aspects about contracting you liked. I don't see that contracting, particularly inside, is necessarily going to fix all the issues you mention. Might make them exciting again because it's new but so could a new perm role.

I'd say think hard about what's bothering you and take a step back and just check it's the perm role that's really the issues. Then you can make an unblinkered decision and follow your heart. Just make sure hating perm roles carte blanche is not going to make life more difficult that it should be if you get me.