Time to start contracting?

[lukemg]

I suspect OP has some hot skills that are likely to result in good contract earnings. This contrasts with most on here who will be lucky to do as good as the pay and benefits OP is currently getting !
The answer is that it all depends on the individual but don't get carried away with the headline rate and possible earnings, consider all the points raised, risks (including that you might be living away from home during the week etc), possibility of only being asked to do routine work that you can already do easily - which can lead to stagnation of skills and mind. These risks are much easier to consider when you are made redundant or earning buttons currently, different decision from where the OP is.

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

I suspect OP has some hot skills that are likely to result in good contract earnings. This contrasts with most on here who will be lucky to do as good as the pay and benefits OP is currently getting !
The answer is that it all depends on the individual but don't get carried away with the headline rate and possible earnings, consider all the points raised, risks (including that you might be living away from home during the week etc), possibility of only being asked to do routine work that you can already do easily - which can lead to stagnation of skills and mind. These risks are much easier to consider when you are made redundant or earning buttons currently, different decision from where the OP is.

Amen!

[SueEllen]

I am not sure why people think they are safe just because they have a perm role, but if you are not interested in discussing this I wont either.

I don't think it.

I've worked with lots of permies who have been made redundant more than once.

[northernladuk]

I am not sure why people think they are safe just because they have a perm role, but if you are not interested in discussing this I wont either.

Because when you are discussing stuff like this you have to make some assumptions or else you will never get to a reasonable answer. Perms are not always safe but we can safely assume perms are a lot safer than contractors when comparing like for like. A few perms may not agree but the majority will

I don't think it.

I've worked with lots of permies who have been made redundant more than once.

More than once in how many years? I got made redundant 4 times in 15 years but that is better than how many times I have been out of work as a contractor in the last 2

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

So, when would you take a perm role then? Assume you have a turnover of £100K in a year.

Personally I wouldn't take a perm offer unless:

a) Have been out of contract for at least 3 months - Would only use this as a low paid contract until getting a new contract
or
b) Being offered a perm job with a stake in the business so I still work for myself in one way or another

I have been offered perm roles for almost the same money as my contract rate, it is a difficult to turn down but I just can't work for someone else.

[d000hg]

I am not sure why people think they are safe just because they have a perm role, but if you are not interested in discussing this I wont either.

As a contractor your average 'job' might average 6-12 months before you spend months looking for the next one; you expect the contract will end. As a permie you're unlucky to be kicked out, and being made redundant every year would be pretty unusual.

In any given job you risk redundancy, but over 10 years a permie would expect to find themselves out of work much less often than a contractor.

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

As a contractor your average 'job' might average 6-12 months before you spend months looking for the next one; you expect the contract will end. As a permie you're unlucky to be kicked out, and being made redundant every year would be pretty unusual.

In any given job you risk redundancy, but over 10 years a permie would expect to find themselves out of work much less often than a contractor.

You are very likely to have double the income as a contractor compared to if you were a perm, for the same money over the10 years - would you not prefer to have 5 years off?

[TheFaQQer]

As a contractor your average 'job' might average 6-12 months before you spend months looking for the next one; you expect the contract will end. As a permie you're unlucky to be kicked out, and being made redundant every year would be pretty unusual.

In any given job you risk redundancy, but over 10 years a permie would expect to find themselves out of work much less often than a contractor.

Most permies get some kind of pay off when they are made redundant. That doesn't happen when your contract doesn't get renewed and you're out of work for 6 months.....

[nomadd]

You are very likely to have double the income as a contractor compared to if you were a perm, for the same money over the10 years - would you not prefer to have 5 years off?

I've now read all of your posts on this thread, and I must say, you are beginning to present a very strong case for contracting. So much so, that I'm starting to consider it myself...

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

I've now read all of your posts on this thread, and I must say, you are beginning to present a very strong case for contracting. So much so, that I'm starting to consider it myself...

I am glad