Should know better but the bench tempted me.....

[BearAssCheek]

Hiya. First timer here. Please be gentle!

Just finished a two year contract with 4 renewals. Was a nice one, good folks etc. I work in online. Have had spells on the bench lasting 18 months in 2001/02 which ended up with me selling my house as was in debt.

One month in and the bench was fine for a couple weeks, got all my loose ends tied up, accounts done and had a couple days away.

Applied for a few contracts, one of which I liked which is with a large er...'outsourcer' in Telford (go on, guess!).

The agency would never give me a real update, saying they were waiting for client, but that the client had asked if I were still 'available'?

One day I spots the vacancy on another job board, this is a PERM (gulp!) role but looks the same. OK I thinks, lets see if they are serious about me (oh dear, without considering if I was serious about them).

Ah, seems they are very interested - had a call back within 24 hours 'When can you come in for interview?'.

Now am stuck as really want the contract role, and should never have applied for perm. Guessing that if I 'suggest' the role on a contract basis will hear a deafening silence and thats both roles out the door.

Bugger. Why was I tempted after only a month on the bench? Am in mid-40s and life is getting no easier as I get older.

Wot a jerk - - could kick myself.

Any ideas how to get myself the best outcome? Feel free to line me up against the wall and aim, ready fire!

[SueEllen]

There is no best outcome.

You should have waited until they found they couldn't have got a permie and then hired you as a contractor.

[Wanderer]

Ah, seems they are very interested - had a call back within 24 hours 'When can you come in for interview?'

Hmm, so you think they are considering a contractor or a permie to fill a position and you've now applied for both roles? Go right ahead and do the interview and if they like you, tell them that you would do it but only on a contract not a permie.

Sounds like a sneaky way to get your boot in the door but that's business. I've seen it from both sides and it happens often enough. How many times have people applied for a contract role and they turn around and say they want a permie? Likewise, we've been trying to recruit a permie and get people who interview and then say they will only do contractor (and they were taken on as a contractor too).

Good luck and welcome to the forum by the way!

[BearAssCheek]

Oooer well win some, lose some....

Go right ahead and do the interview and if they like you, tell them that you would do it but only on a contract not a permie.

Thanks Wanderer - I have offered to go in for a chat on the basis that its a good fit and I could do a good job for them at a reasonable price. They didn't say no outright (nor did they say yes ). Guess we'll have to see.

Lessons learned and all that. On to the next one....

Thanks for the input - looking forward to learning from this site as well.

[nomadd]

Go right ahead and do the interview and if they like you, tell them that you would do it but only on a contract not a permie.

This bit. ^

With one (big) caveat: be prepared to walk if they say no. And if you can't handle the rejection, go permie.

That's contracting in a nutshell. Couldn't be simpler.

Mind you, to stop you looking like a complete ass to the client, I would add something along the lines of: "I've been offered a couple of other interviews for contract positions, and at this point in my career I would much prefer to stay on the contact side of things..." That way you don't look like someone who has got himself into a total pickle, which is in fact what you have done.

[BearAssCheek]

Mind you, to stop you looking like a complete ass to the client, I would add something along the lines of: "I've been offered a couple of other interviews for contract positions, and at this point in my career I would much prefer to stay on the contact side of things..." That way you don't look like someone who has got himself into a total pickle, which is in fact what you have done.

I am in fact an ass to have panicked so early on (past experiences looming all scarily). You're all totally right - relax, state what you want, if they don't agree, then accept this is not the one for you.

Will keep applying for other contract roles, will take the sting out of it I guess.

Thanks again everyone.