Niche contractor vs. Permie with Prospects?

[Platypus]

Gah I'll probably regret asking this

Someone in clientco is sniffing me out for a permie position. Inevitably, the remuneration will likely be quite a bit less than now, but the position offers a good opportunity to reskill into a growth area (cloud tech seller).

Whereas at present, I have niche skills and have been living off them for 10+ years. This gravy train won't last forever, I reckon I have another year or maybe two max before I'm on the scrapheap / on the tills at Waitrose.

I reckon (subject to confirmation) that I'll take-home maybe half what I do now if I were a permie. And I'll have to work a darn sight harder!

So, working twice as hard for half the money sounds a poor option, unless I consider that the permie option would probably future-proof me for many more years than my current skills do. Although the thought of being a permie at ClientCo makes me shudder

Thoughts? What factors would you consider? Trouble is that I'm a naturally lazy bastard, so doing SFA about it is pretty appealing i.e. continuing to do half the work for twice the money and bugger the future

[CourtesyFlush]

Cloud is dead. Or soon to be. So go ahead, fill yer boots.

HTH

[PerfectStorm]

One thing that's not going to help your future chances, IMO, is spending yet another year at the same place (in any capacity).

If you carry on doing what you do now, you can at least (presumably) say "well the money makes it worthwhile and I know what side my bread's buttered on".

If you're going to move, move out. Don't fall for the "company in a million" stuff, it wrecks lives and careers.

[jamesbrown]

Contract until the bitter end, then perhaps consider going permie before coming to your senses and extending into a new level of bitter endedness.

The main factors I would consider are:

Exhibit A: half the money

Exhibit B: twice the effort

[unixman]

So much depends on your personal circumstances. Eg. how far is this place from your home, what are your personal finaces like, family commitments and so on.

Has ClientCo actually promised training courses ? Or if you stayed as a contractor, will they continue to renew your contract ? Have you looked at the contract market for your skill recently ?

If you just fancy the permanent lifestyle, there is nothing to stop you trying it for a year or two, and moving back if it doesn't suit.

[vetran]

demand high, deliver low?

if they offer a permie you have a choice of refusing low offers.

tell them you are a God and you never know they might give you a key to the executive washroom.

it worked for MF!

[Dactylion]

demand high, deliver low?

if they offer a permie you have a choice of refusing low offers.

tell them you are a God and you never know they might give you a key to the executive washroom.

it worked for MF!

True it did work for MF - but only because he needs the key to get in to clean them.

[jmo21]

push to get involved in some of their cloud work on next renewal?

I got a load of experience with Azure a couple of years back with a client when they asked me to put together a proof of concept with no prior experience

[SimonMac]

RIP

(Reskill in permie)

[MyUserName]

My two pence worth ...

I did pretty much the opposite to what most people recommend. I left investment bank contracting for a niche permie position using C++ which is locked on an old version and, naturally, take home a lot less money.

However, my children are at school run age and my wife cannot drive. Hence someone needs to take them to school and pick them up - possibly at short notice if they are ill etc., my daughter has slight autism so it needs to be a regular enough routine so that she can see the pattern.

The banking contracts I looked at were in London and were therefore about an hour and a half away on the train. The permie job is a 45 minute drive (so I get to listen to audio books and have some personal time) with flexible employers (they don't mind me doing sword training in the car park at lunch etc.) and some astonishingly clever people.

I am happier now than when I was contracting and so is my family despite the money (and prestige!) being less.