What's the biggest factor in whether you enjoy a contract?

[d000hg]

For me, it's all about the work firstly - I love creating software so I don't appreciate an office full of friendly people I can chat to, I'd rather be in a box by myself!
Secondly, I guess a tie between convenience and money... I really hate commuting, driving specifically.

Poll to follow... I'll leave it multi-select for those who can't pick a clear winner.

[XperTest]

Responsibility and trust for me. Just came out of a contract two months ago where the project manager didn't put any trust whatsoever in his team and I was being completely micro-managed. By contrast now in a contract where I am being given the freedom, the trust and the responsibility to do the things the way I see fit, and feeling much happier.

[Scrag Meister]

The top item, I think, has to be the money, as that is what generally helps make life in general more enjoyable.

The others in order would be work, people and commute.

I can handle having boring work, micro-managers and a reasonable commute as long as I think I am being compensated for said hardships.

[d000hg]

I definitely feel that working 8 hours a day for years and years and not enjoying it would require a hell of a lot of money... considering you might not even live to retire.

[117MilesToGo]

I definitely feel that working 8 hours a day for years and years and not enjoying it would require a hell of a lot of money... considering you might not even live to retire.

I agree with my mate Dhooog ...... I would easily take a 10-20% cut in rate if it meant doing the things I really wanted to be doing.

A good contract at 80% pay, or a terrible one where every day you wake up you dread going in at 100%.

I know which I'd rather have.

[AnthonyQuinn]

For me, it's all about the work firstly - I love creating software so I don't appreciate an office full of friendly people I can chat to, I'd rather be in a box by myself!
Secondly, I guess a tie between convenience and money... I really hate commuting, driving specifically.

Poll to follow... I'll leave it multi-select for those who can't pick a clear winner.

the rate

[rball]

If the rate isn't right and the work isn't relevant I'll always be looking for the next job. A contractor lives and dies by his skills. There's no point in spending time on legacy systems that no other client will be interested in.

[Scrag Meister]

When I'm out on one of my motorbikes, driving my 350Z, sunning myself on a beach abroad, getting married, buying a smart house, honeymooning in Hawaii, loosing money on a poker table in Vegas, having a fantastic meal in a special restaurant, visiting friends in France, or family in Denmark, send my daughter to her dance class, lend my son some money for a car, what enables me to do these things that make life worth while.

The best things in life are free, mmmmmm yeah sometimes, but for everything else there's cold hard cash.

[xoggoth]

A one man project that is carried out by only you, no other damn nusiances involved.

[northernladuk]

Well you missed my option off. I like the short term (max a year) side of it. Start with nothing, deliver something and then move on to the next challenge. No internal politics, internal benches and that crap. Just end to end challenges. I did the 10 year thing in a large corporate and never been so demotivated.