Why did you get into contracting

[R6steve]

Contractor sick? Dump 'em. Contractor whingy? Dump 'em. Contractor pregnant? Dump 'er. Contractor wants some time off to deal with a family crisis? Dump 'em. Contractor wants a holiday mid-project? Tell 'em you'll dump 'em.

If this were only the case with full time employees too. Once they are in, it's devilishly difficult to get them out without their final parting words being 'I'll see you in Strasbourg'! And then a letter from a no win - no fee lawyer claiming they have a right to work there and get paid, despite the fact they are hopeless and in some way that's the companies fault for not notice earlier.

[R6steve]

I did it because my old boss was a tosspot

Classic and so true in so many instances.

[SallyAnne]

I left my last permie gig because: -
a) my old bass was a t0ssp0t
b) our department had been completely ruined
c) the money was terrible and I was starting to struggle to survive


But I chose to move from there to contracting (instead of another permie job) because: -

a) an agent rang me and talked me into it
b) I was completely sold on the ££££££££££


I stayed contracting, all these years later, because: -

a) £££££££££££££££
b) I couldn't stand working for someone else now
c) I love having my own company (even though HMRC try and make this as difficult and stressful as possible)
d) I love that I can be working for a differemnt client, in new locations, every few months. It stops me getting bored, and makes me feel independant.


Cheers,
Sal

[Not So Wise]

Why did i get into Contracting?

In no particular order

• I get bored doing roughly same thing, at same place, with same people quickly. Change is good
• I get to "mostly" keep out of Corp politics/ladder climbing
• I get more freedom
• I get more money
• I work > I get paid (aka no working late nights/weekends for free because it's the client corp. culture to do so)
• I generally do no overtime (ever notice how last person they want to do overtime is the contractors?)
• When I leave work I get to forget about work until next working day
• Don't have to do stupid and pointless things like personal assessments. Either I do a good job or I get booted. Want and think I deserve more money for what I am doing? Ask for it, if don't get it just leave
• Don't have to kiss ass

[R6steve]

I have a confession to make so I'll just come right out with it...

I love my work.

I'm project based with specialist skills. I go into a company, make it better and then get out.

Companies have no need to keep people like me as permies (unless they are growing at a fast rate). I have had happy clients contact me for projects over 2 or 3 years without the expensive need of keeping me in their employ.

And the rates are good (not great though at the mo' - I've dropped them to get the current contract which has proved a good decision with hindsight...)

Thanks for this.

This is for you Cojak and all the other experienced contractors out there - Have you seen an increase in the number of contractors?

My suspicion is they are on the up and the good news is that due to the vast number of projects currently on hold, we'll be looking at a huge recruitment drive for contractors to support the new projects and renewal of older systems.

[expat]

Thanks for this.

This is for you Cojak and all the other experienced contractors out there - Have you seen an increase in the number of contractors?

My suspicion is they are on the up and the good news is that due to the vast number of projects currently on hold, we'll be looking at a huge recruitment drive for contractors to support the new projects and renewal of older systems.

I have read that in the mid-70s, when I started, there were an estimated 600 IT contractors in London. We mostly knew each other.

Have I seen an increase? A bloody plague!

More seriously, yes I think so. The word is getting out that it is no more risky than "permanent" employment, so everybody is doing it. This, as I recall, was what happened back then to technical draughtsmen shortly before they became extinct.

[elwray]

Being a contractor allowed me the freedom to pursue my passion - travelling . This year I did a three month backpack in Cambodia, Thailand and Burma . Last year I went to Vietnam and Laos
Could not exactly fit that all in as permie on their two weekly holiday allowance ....

[d000hg]

Really? In every org i work in i find it to be full of permies who lack in skills adn more importantly the balls to actually deliver work. Don't get me wrong I've also met plenty of contractors like that.....but tehy dont last for long. Being a contractor forces you to up your game or you get the push....Permies can sit in the same seat for 20 yrs doing the square root of nowt!

The best people I've ever worked with have ALL been permies, either they haven't considered contracting or they don't want to do it.

[Bright Spark]

I got into contracting purely beacuse the

1) money was a lot more than permie than now.
2) also this was before IR35,
3) also at the time my two younger brothers were still at college so I made them into shareholders and use their tax allowances.

all of the above have now changed and given the chance I would not do
contracting just based on the money as I'ts not as lucrative back in those days.

[Ruse]

The word is getting out that it is no more risky than "permanent" employment, so everybody is doing it.

Well the word is completely bloody wrong. I have been on the bench for 4 months, I've never seen a contracting downturn in Banking of this magnitude.
I never used to have any problem picking up a new contract, now I don't have anything to even apply for and if I do I doubt my CV even gets through to the client due to the many hundreds the agencies are gettng.

There can't have been a worse time to start contracting.