Is this permanent package irrestible?

[BolshieBastard]

And..........

Remember to factor in, office politics, performance reviews (if applicable) but more important -what will be taken home per month.....

The Salary Calculator - Take-Home tax calculator

This notion that as a contractor, you're not involved in office politics is overstated imo. Just see the other contractors positioning themselves in the run up to renewal, the contractors working extra hours for free, the contractor taking the office manager out for lunch or bringing a bottle of wine in etc, etc.

I havent worked on a contract yet where other contractors do not try and ingratiate themselves with the client at some point or another. You might try and say that's not 'office politics.' You may not have an annual appraisal like a permie but you will be appraised as part of the renewal process which can be influenced. But if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck etc.

[jmo21]

This notion that as a contractor, you're not involved in office politics is overstated imo. Just see the other contractors positioning themselves in the run up to renewal, the contractors working extra hours for free, the contractor taking the office manager out for lunch or bringing a bottle of wine in etc, etc.

I havent worked on a contract yet where other contractors do not try and ingratiate themselves with the client at some point or another. You might try and say that's not 'office politics.' You may not have an annual appraisal like a permie but you will be appraised as part of the renewal process which can be influenced. But if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck etc.

Also the permie types that bitch every 2 minutes within earshot (or to your face) about expensive contractors, and do everything they can to be unhelpful

[utternutter]

Just see the other contractors positioning themselves in the run up to renewal, the contractors working extra hours for free, the contractor taking the office manager out for lunch

Oh so true.. it can get ruthless and often does.

[yasockie]

Very interesting thread, as I am tempted by a similar package myself.
The calculators do not work for me as most years I bill for less than 200 days for various reasons.
If I consider that most of the days where I was not billing I could take paid holiday etc, if I also consider that for the role I will not need a place in London to stay and that all my travelling expenses will be paid for, it suddenly makes it quite interesting in terms of pure take-home money, the quality of life etc.
Worst case, I'll give it a go, fail miserably and go back to contracting, I guess?

[BlasterBates]

I´m on the verge of giving up on contracting, I´ve thought about "battling" for a contract role in London but my feeling is even if you get one, in a year or two it won´t be any easier if you end up on the bench again. It doesn´t matter how much experience you get you still have to fight tooth and nail for any contract. Probably easier to jump on the permie "job mill" and take sickies when you need a day off.

[Old Greg]

I´m on the verge of giving up on contracting, I´ve thought about "battling" for a contract role in London but my feeling is even if you get one, in a year or two it won´t be any easier if you end up on the bench again. It doesn´t matter how much experience you get you still have to fight tooth and nail for any contract. Probably easier to jump on the permie "job mill" and take sickies when you need a day off.

+1. Contracting used to stack up very nicely. It now stacks up less nicely and in the near future it won't stack up. Also (fingers crossed, because it might not come off) I have a very nice permie opportunity nearly in my grasp.

[TheFaQQer]

+1. Contracting used to stack up very nicely. It now stacks up less nicely and in the near future it won't stack up. Also (fingers crossed, because it might not come off) I have a very nice permie opportunity nearly in my grasp.

+1

If I could find a decent enough offer, I'd jump back in a shot.

Every so often, I go through the start of the interview phase, and a tasty contract appears, so I knock it on the head. But one of these days, it'll all come together at the same time.

[utternutter]

a very nice permie opportunity

If I could find a decent enough offer,

Interesting. What would that package look like for you?

[Old Greg]

Interesting. What would that package look like for you?

I am hoping:

£70k + 7k car allowance + up to 10% bonus + matched pension contribution up to 10% + assorted other stuff (life assurance etc.)

[TheFaQQer]

Interesting. What would that package look like for you?

All depends on the role - the package isn't everything.

If there is a car element, then one assumes that there is an element of travel involved. If there is too much travel, then I don't see much incentive to move from contracting, where at least I can choose where and when I work.

If there is a car element and no travel involved, then I'd just rather have the cash thanks.

Bonus I'd always be wary of - what are the bonus criteria? I've worked for a consultancy where one year it was based on individual performance (and I did very well) but the next it was based on practice performance (where I did very well but the practice as a whole didn't so I got nothing).

How is the stock vested - is it an employee purchase scheme? What are the tax implications? If they are options, then what are the criteria for exercising the options?

Given the relocation, is this somewhere that you want to move to? What do the family think? I regularly get agents asking me about permanent roles in the south, but there's no chance that I'd consider moving there. If the prospects are moving to somewhere that you are going to hate, then the role had better be fantastic to consider that.

I'd also want to know how much holiday time do you get in that package. I like my holidays, which is normally what stops me taking permanent roles - to make up for the number of days that I have off work at the moment, the salary has to go up. Given that I like to have three months off a year, the salary gets pretty ridiculous.

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If I was on your daily rate, then I'd ignore everything I've said and take the permie role.