When did you start contracting?

[Swamp Thing]

I started when I was 34 (2 years ago). I got made redundant from where I worked, got made an awesome offer by another company so I left early (and therefore lost 14k I could have had if I had stayed) - just after I started a new CTO started who did not want me there.

Got forced under the threat of instant dismissal to sign a form saying my work was not good enough to pass the 3 month probation (although this was disputed in writing by my manager) and that we had meetings about it previously (simply not true), also they apparently did not need one of the main projects I was working on. Funnily enough when I asked about these points the CTO and other directors discussed what was happening they did so in French so I could not understand what they were saying.

I decided that I was never letting anyone have that kind of power over me again, started contracting and got a slot at an investment bank in London and have been happy since!

I too left my last perm role under a compromise agreement, and sort of fell into contracting just as a breather. But then the career plan took off and I too took those words to heart - "I decided that I was never letting anyone have that kind of power over me again".

[mygeek]

I'm 27 and my first contract is ending in May, lasted just over a year. Have 3 kids so got into contracting to save for a house.

[Project Monkey]

There seems to be quite a vast array of experienced contractors here. I started contracting at 19 and am 33 now. I originally had a 10yr plan and am in year 14 now .

What age did you start?

2010, quit my permie job to go contracting.

Made the (all too familiar) mistake of posting an innocuous question on here and promptly told (by guess who): to naff off back to permiedom because I'd made a big mistake, would be on the bench for months, would get screwed by an agent, should have spoken to an accountant, had a lot to learn, wasn't a real contractor, should have done a search, are you a bob, blah, blah, blah....

[MyUserName]

Made the (all too familiar) mistake of posting an innocuous question on here and promptly told (by guess who): to naff off back to permiedom because I'd made a big mistake, would be on the bench for months, would get screwed by an agent, should have spoken to an accountant, had a lot to learn, wasn't a real contractor, should have done a search, are you a bob, blah, blah, blah....

Well .... was he right?

[Project Monkey]

Well .... was he right?

Who said it was a he?

No, apart from 'not a real contractor' since we all know there can be only one.

[MyUserName]

Who said it was a he?

No, apart from 'not a real contractor' since we all know there can be only one.

Well the person who was most likely to have said that to you is a 'he' ... although I have heard him called other things ...

[Project Monkey]

Well the person who was most likely to have said that to you is a 'he' ... although I have heard him called other things ...

Ah shucks, I'm busted

[tranceporter]

Started at the age of 28 in March 2011, so a tad above 2 years, and now a month into my 3rd gig. Was a permie before on £2k monthy salary, and it was ok as long as I was a bachelor. 2 months into marriage, and the savings dwindled to near nothing, with the onslaught on rent, taxes, car, insurance etc. Interestingly, my wife got a contract role while I was permie, which gave me the opportunity to finally resign from my permie job, and go on a contract hunt. First contract was with a Bob company, and from there onwards, it's been non-bob clients, and enjoying it!

[lukemg]

Had a great run 93-03 but lack of planning and preparation left me high and dry when the market turned against my outdated and commodotised 'skills'.
Had a couple of grim poorly paid perm jobs before totally re-inventing myself and getting back in the game in 06 till now.
Still scares me how everything I knew was worthless all of a sudden and I REALLY appreciate being a contractor and having the cash again.
BIG effort from me is to insulate myself from that ever happening again by keeping up to date and stashing money furiously aside.
17 years contracting, 12 companies, just over a mill in revenue ex-VAT.
Good Luck all....

[Vandalay]

2005, RBS was my first contract for 2 yrs. I was 24, straight out of uni. Lucky to be in the right place at the right time - there's no way I'd get that same gig today.

8 years on and still contracting, but 100% direct now, had enough of agencies.