Approached for a permie job paying 50% over market rates when looking for a contract

[zazou]

I got a phone call from an agent about this role which all sounded really nice and he wanted to put me forward for a permie role paying around 50% more than I was earning before.
What are your thoughts on that? Would you go permie if it paid exceptionally well? Do they offer people with contractor minds more?

The whole time was waiting for the 'I need 2 references' or other phishing questions but so far everything seems legit...

[SueEllen]

If you are happy with 360 reviews, not being able to move away from office politics etc then go for it.

[cojak]

I got a phone call from an agent about this role which all sounded really nice and he wanted to put me forward for a permie role paying around 50% more than I was earning before.
What are your thoughts on that? Would you go permie if it paid exceptionally well? Do they offer people with contractor minds more?

The whole time was waiting for the 'I need 2 references' or other phishing questions but so far everything seems legit...

HR usually reads contractor's minds as 'I'll hunker down in this permie role until a good contract appears and then I'm off!'

So they'll often not even bother giving you an interview, no matter what the agent says.

[MarillionFan]

If you are happy with 360 reviews, not being able to move away from office politics etc then go for it.

You're all so cynical.

It should be, is your take home higher, do you get a massive share bonus, do you get great benefits, is it financially better off then scraping a living as a technical gypsy.

[northernladuk]

Are there any other benefits apart from the wage? Cutting edge technology? Bottomless training budget? Career prospects? Switching just for money isn't the be all and end all. If there are other benefits that will help you long term it's a no brainer. If it is just more of the same for just a bit more money then it's your call.

[Dominic Connor]

I think you're wrong about "the market rate"...

If someone rings you up out of the blue and offers £X then you know for a fact that the market rate is at least £X

This leads me to suspect one or both of:

a) the rate has gone up more than you think
b) they think you're better at the job than you think you are

Ironically there's another thread on CUK where contracts are saying that we agents don't understand supply and demand...
]

[zazou]

I think you're wrong about "the market rate"...

If someone rings you up out of the blue and offers £X then you know for a fact that the market rate is at least £X

This leads me to suspect one or both of:

a) the rate has gone up more than you think
b) they think you're better at the job than you think you are
...]

Hopefully!

But I'm basing this on itjobswatch.

[Dominic Connor]

Hopefully! But I'm basing this on itjobswatch.

It's good to check your value, but the value of an individual is a tricky function of how your skills match what they want and how hard that combination is to find.

I was personally the only AS/400 C programmer in the UK at one point, these skills being rare to be found together and in my particular case, it was the only AS/400 in the country. This of course has gone full circle as AS/400's are now yesterday's news.

[Bellona]

Depends on your reason for contracting.
For me it was a better work life balance, roles closer to home, less ( well hopefully!) office politics, more than the usual measly 25 days holiday, choosing what I wanted to do rather than be stuck in a rut.
If money is your only motivator and the money angle stacks up, then go for it.
Only you can make a comparison that will help you decide.

[russell]

Do you want to be an employee or run your own business? The sheep or the Shepard?