Decision help alert - need different perspectives

[Peter Loew]

I've been at my current contract now for 7 months-ish so far, with extension to end of year. It's a great, fun and central place to work and the people are mostly great. It's probably the biggest known tech company in the world and since I started here I have had attracted more than usual attention from LinkedIn, agents, etc., so it's good for my CV.

Last year they offered me a perm role, I said no. Now they have come back and offered me a different perm role, a potentially much better and more exciting one, and I know the salary will be around 80k per year with a good benefits package. Thinking about this all weekend I decided I was going to go for it, I just need a little more info on the role which I am hoping to get today. If I were to apply for this role externally, I probably would not get it, the company is extremely difficult to penetrate from the outside and the interview process is absurdly difficult - not sure if this means anything but food for thought.

However out of the blue an old colleague who is now director level at a diff company, calls me up and offers me a contract role in roughly the same location, roughly the same tech space at a hugely better rate (circa 550p/d) than I am on now, with potential for travel, still for a big international company but unheard of to most people unless you're in a certain industry.

I love the idea of the learning potential with the perm role where I am currently, but financially I won't be able to save much per month and will have to watch my spending. However, if I was going to ever go perm for a while, it would be for a company like where I am now.

Been contracting since '06, I love the thought of having stability in my work now and seeing projects and initiatives all the way through, building something and putting my name on it, rather than leaving because a budget got cut or some re-org occurred, which happens a lot.

I'm in two minds. I could 1) continue on my current contract till end of year (not much challenge), 2) go for the perm, or 3) take a diff and much better paid contract, which financially is the right move, but finances are not the only thing that matter to me.

I'm stuck.

Would be great to get some opinions, experiences and feedback from you guys.

P

[DigitalUser]

I've been at my current contract now for 7 months-ish so far, with extension to end of year. It's a great, fun and central place to work and the people are mostly great. It's probably the biggest known tech company in the world and since I started here I have had attracted more than usual attention from LinkedIn, agents, etc., so it's good for my CV.

Last year they offered me a perm role, I said no. Now they have come back and offered me a different perm role, a potentially much better and more exciting one, and I know the salary will be around 80k per year with a good benefits package. Thinking about this all weekend I decided I was going to go for it, I just need a little more info on the role which I am hoping to get today. If I were to apply for this role externally, I probably would not get it, the company is extremely difficult to penetrate from the outside and the interview process is absurdly difficult - not sure if this means anything but food for thought.

However out of the blue an old colleague who is now director level at a diff company, calls me up and offers me a contract role in roughly the same location, roughly the same tech space at a hugely better rate (circa 550p/d) than I am on now, with potential for travel, still for a big international company but unheard of to most people unless you're in a certain industry.

I love the idea of the learning potential with the perm role where I am currently, but financially I won't be able to save much per month and will have to watch my spending. However, if I was going to ever go perm for a while, it would be for a company like where I am now.

Been contracting since '06, I love the thought of having stability in my work now and seeing projects and initiatives all the way through, building something and putting my name on it, rather than leaving because a budget got cut or some re-org occurred, which happens a lot.

I'm in two minds. I could 1) continue on my current contract till end of year (not much challenge), 2) go for the perm, or 3) take a diff and much better paid contract, which financially is the right move, but finances are not the only thing that matter to me.

I'm stuck.

Would be great to get some opinions, experiences and feedback from you guys.

P

If someone else was asking for the same advice, what would you say?

[d000hg]

a)If £80k means "I won't be able to save much per month and will have to watch my spending" that's a little worrying!

b)A job on that salary suggests you could move into a seriously high-level position (if it isn't already) rather than just be another cog, which is what contracting and most employment implies.

c)Being offered a high-paying contract can happen any time, and can end as quickly. This sounds like something much more unusual.

d)If being where you are on contract is getting you interest from recruiters, etc, think how a serious perm position will look on your CV.

I think I'd take the perm job as an easy decision and stay in touch with your director friend... no reason they mightn't have work for you down the line.

ps: Is it a fruity company? I was thinking Google until you said "the company is extremely difficult to penetrate from the outside".

[captainham]

You need to ask yourself why you are currently contracting. If, like me, you got fed up with permiedom and decided you wanted to milk contracting for the money, then you need to consider if you are ready to give that up.

However, the following statement stands out to me as one that says your mind is drifting back to permiedom, and almost sounds like you have made up your mind up already:

Been contracting since '06, I love the thought of having stability in my work now and seeing projects and initiatives all the way through, building something and putting my name on it, rather than leaving because a budget got cut or some re-org occurred, which happens a lot.

[MyUserName]

80k is about 4500 pounds take home per month. You seriously cannot live comfortably on that?

If you have been contracting since 06 then you should have few debts and a decent warchest?
What bills are coming in that take most of that away a month?

[aoxomoxoa]

80k is about 4500 pounds take home per month. You seriously cannot live comfortably on that?

If you have been contracting since 06 then you should have few debts and a decent warchest?
What bills are coming in that take most of that away a month?

It's not pertinent to the original question, and frankly not really any of your business, is it?

[GazCol]

80k is about 4500 pounds take home per month. You seriously cannot live comfortably on that?

If you have been contracting since 06 then you should have few debts and a decent warchest?
What bills are coming in that take most of that away a month?

I too, would like to know what addicition the OP has.

[MyUserName]

It's not pertinent to the original question, and frankly not really any of your business, is it?

It relates to the original question in that it might help the OP look harder at his position and realise that 80k is actually a lot of money and that it is quite possibly a mistaken assumption that he cannot live on it or a perhaps some kind of calculation error

If this is proved to be correct it would drastically change his outlook and help him make his decision.

[Ticktock]

It's not pertinent to the original question, and frankly not really any of your business, is it?

This isn't pertinent to the thread, and frankly not really any of your business, is it?

[kevpuk]

This isn't pertinent to the thread, and frankly not really any of your business, is it?

I found this particularly pertinent and almost my business

Back on topic, seems like an excellent opportunity, and the very fact you are considering suggests that now might not be a bad time to re-join the 'permie massive'. Negotiate a short notice period, just to be on the safe side....