yeah...it's hard going back perm...especially the lack of flexibility about the level of holidays that you can take.
							
						
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Returning to perm is almost impossible
				
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 Agree with OP, who would go perm?
 
 What? Really? I'll be the first to admit that I'm just Yet Another Java Developer who is in no way niche or specialised but I'm creaming it compared to my recently dropped perm salary and I haven't even setup a Ltd yet!?! I'm talking almost 33% increase in take home pay and I know for a fact my current rate is 20% lower than the client original looked to pay because I wasn't an exact skill match and had just had 5 months off holidaying, two factors I quickly left a red-faced client admitting weren't affecting my ability to perform ... ie roll on extension negotiations!Originally posted by larson View Postfor the most part contracting for the money is over-rated, unless you are in a very niche area and have a very specialised skillset. I would say that overall, for the majority, the difference between permie and contracting is more to do with 'being your own boss'.
 
 So I agree with the OP, who on Earth would go perm?? (without an amazingly rare deal, similar to being niche I guess!)Comment
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 Just wait till u've had six months on the bench, warchest gone, dole not helping...Originally posted by nfoote View PostWhat? Really? I'll be the first to admit that I'm just Yet Another Java Developer who is in no way niche or specialised but I'm creaming it compared to my recently dropped perm salary and I haven't even setup a Ltd yet!?! I'm talking almost 33% increase in take home pay and I know for a fact my current rate is 20% lower than the client original looked to pay because I wasn't an exact skill match and had just had 5 months off holidaying, two factors I quickly left a red-faced client admitting weren't affecting my ability to perform ... ie roll on extension negotiations!
 
 So I agree with the OP, who on Earth would go perm?? (without an amazingly rare deal, similar to being niche I guess!)
 
 It's cyclic you know, the Consolation of Philosophy rings n'er truer in the contracting world....Comment
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 The one thing I will be glad of, if I ever go back to being a permie, is being able to take 25-30 days holiday without feeling guilty that I'm losing money or pricing lost earnings into the holiday cost etc. There is also the "make hay while the sun shines" argument that also makes one reluctant to take time off while in a contract.Originally posted by The Wikir Man View PostI was talking to two companies about permie roles recently - the only thing I would have lost out on (and therefore take the cut) was on holidays. For a permie role I would have had to take a maximum of 30 days paid holiday a year, compared with the 40-60 a year I take now.
 
 Not too bad, though, but new contract turned up before they could make a definite offer so I took the bird in the hand.
 
 I take less holiday now than I did as a permie...Comment
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 When I first started contracting, a mate of mine advised never to think of each day off as lost revenue, or you'll never take a day off.Originally posted by GreenerGrass View PostThe one thing I will be glad of, if I ever go back to being a permie, is being able to take 25-30 days holiday without feeling guilty that I'm losing money or pricing lost earnings into the holiday cost etc. There is also the "make hay while the sun shines" argument that also makes one reluctant to take time off while in a contract.
 
 I take less holiday now than I did as a permie...
 
 Once you start that way, you start seeing everything in terms of days worked - I can afford that car lease, I only need to work 3 days for it each month....
 
 And then, you end up benched. For a long time.
 
 "Make hay while the sun shines" is milan talk - and for that reason, it's tosh.If you have to add a , it isn't funny. HTH.  LOL. , it isn't funny. HTH.  LOL.Comment
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 I have two targets. One is billed income, the other is billable days. So long as I achieve the income target I'm happy. The billable days is an upper target - I don't want to work more than 200 days a year. Though, obviously if the client wants me for more, then I'm happy to oblige, but the motivation is different.Originally posted by GreenerGrass View PostThe one thing I will be glad of, if I ever go back to being a permie, is being able to take 25-30 days holiday without feeling guilty that I'm losing money...
 
 Last year I billed for 186.5 days, and exceeded the income target. Down with racism. Long live miscegenation! Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!Comment
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 You should really be aiming to double the permy rate to make it worthwhile, I've been contracting for 7 years but in truth only the first 4 years were worth it. It's no good taking home a third more on billable days when you only get to work 6 months a year, unless of course you can afford to do that and then it sounds extremely attractive.Originally posted by nfoote View PostWhat? Really? I'll be the first to admit that I'm just Yet Another Java Developer who is in no way niche or specialised but I'm creaming it compared to my recently dropped perm salary and I haven't even setup a Ltd yet!?! I'm talking almost 33% increase in take home pay and I know for a fact my current rate is 20% lower than the client original looked to pay because I wasn't an exact skill match and had just had 5 months off holidaying, two factors I quickly left a red-faced client admitting weren't affecting my ability to perform ... ie roll on extension negotiations!
 
 So I agree with the OP, who on Earth would go perm?? (without an amazingly rare deal, similar to being niche I guess!) Science isn't about why, it's about why not. You ask: why is so much of our science dangerous? I say: why not marry safe science if you love it so much. In fact, why not invent a special safety door that won't hit you in the butt on the way out, because you are fired. - Cave Johnson Science isn't about why, it's about why not. You ask: why is so much of our science dangerous? I say: why not marry safe science if you love it so much. In fact, why not invent a special safety door that won't hit you in the butt on the way out, because you are fired. - Cave JohnsonComment
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 Given the guilt that my daughter is giving me for being away from home, I'm starting to wish I'd taken the permie job near home instead If you have to add a If you have to add a , it isn't funny. HTH.  LOL. , it isn't funny. HTH.  LOL.Comment
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 i'm thinking of going perm .  i'm in the java space as well, in investment banking.  market is v healthy, both for contract and permie at the moment...never having been permie in a bank, i'd like to know what kind of bonuses they get lol (won't be crazy like the business-side guys get, unfortunately). .  i'm in the java space as well, in investment banking.  market is v healthy, both for contract and permie at the moment...never having been permie in a bank, i'd like to know what kind of bonuses they get lol (won't be crazy like the business-side guys get, unfortunately).
 
 the whole hourly * 1000 = permanent salary conversion, can i ask where that comes from? is it factoring likely bench time etc? naively if i get say, 400 per day contracting, and i work 40 weeks per year (200 days), then i get 80k before tax. with the permie conversion, 400/8 = 50, so 50k is equivalent to 80k?
 
 if the hourly * 1000 is accurate then i'm making out like a bandit with the permie offer, it's about 15% over the highest contract offer that i've got.Comment
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 Thats whats been hindering me for the past few years, I just don't want to be staying away from my family. Of course every man has a price and should an instance come up where its for the greater good of all then I'd do it.Originally posted by The Wikir Man View PostGiven the guilt that my daughter is giving me for being away from home, I'm starting to wish I'd taken the permie job near home instead 
 
 I'm sure in my mind now that I want to be a permy, but this conflicts with my fear of being perpetually poor. Science isn't about why, it's about why not. You ask: why is so much of our science dangerous? I say: why not marry safe science if you love it so much. In fact, why not invent a special safety door that won't hit you in the butt on the way out, because you are fired. - Cave Johnson Science isn't about why, it's about why not. You ask: why is so much of our science dangerous? I say: why not marry safe science if you love it so much. In fact, why not invent a special safety door that won't hit you in the butt on the way out, because you are fired. - Cave JohnsonComment
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