To contract or Not to contract? thats the question

**eddiegee** · 20 September 2007, 15:13

Hi,

At first it seems a bit daunting, and to be honest when i was thrown loads of fees etc it put me off, but iam glad i did now because iam earning more, although some people believe its more hassel than its worth.

Well if your with an agency, they get you work, but depends if you want to do a foreigner!

good luck!

**DBA_bloke** · 20 September 2007, 15:17

This is not an easy thing to answer.

I'm alright, Jack, because I don't have kids; don't feel tied to anywhere in particular; feel confident in my abilities, etc.

You really, really do have to think very carefully about it. Because you may actually (in spite of the immediate cash benefit) find it's simply not your thing.

Have a butcher's at the CUK First Timers thing on the Home page.

**XLMonkey** · 20 September 2007, 15:20

I advise....

- doing a search on this website (this topic has been covered sooooooo many times before)
- going to www.pcg.org.uk and downloading their guide, which is the most authoritative source of guidance you're going to get.

To answer the questions

No
No

**moorfield** · 20 September 2007, 15:52

Been contracting 5 yrs now after 6 years as an IB permie.

Got fed up of the 360 review stupidity and p1ss poor bonuses and have never looked back.

Now an IB contractor, every day is bonus day !

**lukemg** · 20 September 2007, 16:05

Sensible questions Andy, think I have been through the full cycle.
Initial euphoria is great, doubling your salary opens up lots of new opportunities, not total life changers but slightly better cars/houses/holidays. One of the best things is forgetting about money, so much is pouring in that you don't have to think about bills or buying stuff (within reason). That's quite a nice feeling. You also feel you are a bit of an entrepreneur, taking a risk to go contracting etc (this is mostly an illusion, don't fall for the 'I've got my own company' hype).
Workwise - it is brilliant to avoid assessments, office politics and being conscious of hoping you will get noticed sometime in the distant future and given a minor promotion and 8% pay rise.
In addition, I love playing the game, getting/doing interviews and the rush when you win and get the call to say so. I also like going to different places, keeps me interested, new teams to get on with etc.
It's very rare you will get grief from the permies, as long as you keep your head down for a bit and get to know people and get on with everyone (this is a key skill, I was invited to the wedding of one chap at work who I actually hated, he had no idea)
There can be a downsides though:
I had a good 10 year run but I am lazy and my skills had gone out of date, result was 60% pay cut (and I had got used to the contract money !). You are hired for what you know NOW, not for potential and although you gain experience, for many contracts you may be doing the on-going work rather than cutting edge, technologies come and go and the market rates change accordingly. When the phone doesn't ring for 2 months despite numerous applications - the world can feel suddenly cold ! Ended up taking a permie job, felt like I had dropped off a cliff but I got some training and went back contracting 3 years later in a different speciality, it was very difficult to get back up again though !
Also - Although most of my contracts have been commutable, living away during the week can be tough, I am in Sheffield and the novelty wears off pretty quick when you don't know anyone (have to maintain some distance at work due to seniorish role).
As far as money goes, I compare it with professional friends and I reckon our career earnings will be about the same e.g. accountants money steps up in small steps but tends to only be going one way - up. While I was ahead on the first contracting spell, subsequent crash left me on 60% of what they were getting for a while.
Conclusion - I am very happy I went contracting (especially now when I am back on top !) and I would have been bored senseless staying anywhere for years on end. If I had another run, I would focus more on Plan B when the money started coming in (hindsight says property but it's easy to say now !)
Also - You HAVE to be looking beyond the next contract to the next 5 years, do some training, take roles that give you valuable experience. If you don't,there is every chance you will get bypassed by the ever changing IT market that a permie job might insulate you from (no guarantee on this though !)
You have to analyse your attitude to risk, ability to compete and get contracts in the future (one 3-monther doesn't mean you are good) and be aware of the effect on families etc
If you are have some skills and are single(ish), youngish and bored in current permie job, then go for it, what the hell are you waiting for, don't you like Porsches ? You have very little to lose !

**Kess** · 22 September 2007, 18:26

I've been a contractor for just 4 weeks, after 20 years as a permie!

I didn't do it for the money - my income now is pretty much the same as I got as a (very senior) permie - but rather to get away from the frustrations of office politics, inane meetings, clueless bosses etc. and get back to the technical work that I do best and enjoy.

I've gone from being a prominent "technical authority" figure in my old company to a small cog in a very large wheel - and I'm loving it.

So far I've got no regrets.

**shoes** · 22 September 2007, 19:10

What lukemg said. Plus, for me something unexpected has happened. Having been part of the system previously (school, college, university, permanent employment) I had fallen for the whole thing. It's ridiculous now that I look back on it. If only to gain some perspective, for goodness sake do it. It won't take long for you to realise it's all b0ll0x. Money is a control mechanism. The idea of deserving a particular salary, bonuses, keeping up with the Jones', the whole concept of a career, it's all nonsense. And you will only really know that when you step away from it. Contracting allows you to do that, and gives you ambitions beyond. You'll get some more money in your back pocket sure, but more importantly you will learn to spot that you were once a battery hen, like most people still are. Do it. Take the red pill.

To contract or Not to contract? thats the question