Why did you get into contracting

[BolshieBastard]

Because some twat maggie brought into our department said he was going to take a qualification worth £3k pa out of our pay packet.

I thought **** it Im off. In the end, the whole of the department's team left. Over 23 people if my memory serves me right.

[egglikeabird]

Why oh why

Hi,

I'm fairly new in my job (marketing consultant, automotive industry NOT a recruiter, I'm also a permie and not a contractor) and I've been asked to write a guide about the roles of contractors throughout the business and how contractors will more than likely play a larger part on the company (end of the permanent job for life type thing).

I've read lots of posts and seem to have a good handle on what contractors do, how they operate etc however the only bit I'm struggling with is how/why people choose to become a contractor/freelancer in the first place?

I'm guessing it's mainly because of:
1. necessity - couldn't find permie work?
2. design - the allure of more money and potential life style choice
3. hate their boss, culture of the company or combo of both

Is this about right?

Also (on a more personal interest note, this isn't for the report) how many started as a contractor and used it as a stepping stone to starting their own business?

Cheers

It was not the money! it was because of age, once past 45 no one wants to take on a permanent employee, so your left with no choice if your to feed your family. Agism exists and no laws are going to sort that out, the issue is that companies are missing out on the most experianced staff if they don't use contractors.

[d000hg]

I didn't particularly dislike being an employee, I just hated commuting. I fell into freelancing on the side to make some needed extra cash and then fell further into working remotely as a contractor on a couple of projects. I'm not a typical contractor; I've never worked onsite since leaving permie-land and would be loathe to do so.

As for the last question, I've grown into a small company. Right now I have 2 full-time contractors and a few part-time working for me on a project I'm managing for my client.

[malvolio]

Nice one! Whatever the question, the answer is "PCG"

Nope, its just that's the only place to find that kind of detailed information. I did look at a few other places, like QDOS and IFA-Voice, but they don't seem to have that kind of data published. Ho hum...

[Menelaus]

Got sacked by HBoS when I had a nervous breakdown caused by HBoS.

[RichardCranium]

how/why people choose to become a contractor/freelancer in the first place?

My employer pulled a dirty stunt to cut our salaries by 2/3rds. I chose to walk. I then struggled to find a job and took a contract to pay the bills.

Having become a contractor, I found people would not shortlist me for permie roles. For about 6 years I fought that prejudice without success. Eventually I realised I had better get used to the idea of contracting since that is all anyone would let me do. So I then started doing the research about what it entailed.

I didn't choose become a contractor. I had it imposed upon me by circumstance.

[dozer]

indeed, once you are tarnished with the c word you have to work very hard to make it back into the permie world, if at all possible. then you look at your salary and wonder why you bothered.

[Torran]

Money for me. Went from a £15k permy job to £60k equiv contract. The freedom was a bonus.

[EddieNambulous]

then you look at your salary and wonder why you bothered.

...and don't forget the unpaid overtime, the office politics and the obligatory sucking up to the big boss at every opportunity.

Oh yeah, and all the dead wood...which, as a perm, is a nightmare of extra crap for you to contend with, but, as a contractor, is a very welcome chance for steady ongoing work

[R6steve]

Taking the original question at face value, perhaps you should start here...

http://www.pcg.org.uk/cms/index.php?...50&Itemid=1243

and if you want some interesting numbers, have a read through the surveys here:

http://www.pcg.org.uk/cms/index.php?...85&Itemid=1003

However, for myself, I went contract because I'd run out of options as a permie and was fed up working for fools less qualified that I was. I still do, of course, but now I charge them a lot more for putting up with them!

Thanks really handy report, although I am a little confused by the term freelancers. I think freelancers are different to contractors, although I'm not sure I could accurately articulate the difference but I definitely think they are different.