What do you see as the core benefit of contracting?

[Old Greg]

[GJABS]

Holidays - I like to backpack. I generally work 3 months on, backpack for 3 weeks, repeat. Occasionally some of the backpacking time is working remotely, but I am happy to be on a beach in Cambodia working, or logging in from a hotel in Moscow, or debugging while on an overnight bus in Guatemala. The important thing is the contracting lets me travel.

...

Anyway, the contract I am on has offered me a perm role, with generous holiday, but more importantly a "you can spend one month a year working remotely no questions asked" clause. Which means I get the perks of perm, plus the main perk of contracting for me.

Huh? I fail to see the logic of what you've written. Having one month a year working remotely is hardly equivalent to having three months a year not working at all.
And what are the "perks of perm", and why do you want them? Have you seen a psychiatrist?

Don't do it man!*



* Of course there might be other factors in your decision you haven't listed, such as the influence of a weapon of mass financial destruction a.k.a. a woman.

[ladymuck]

For me, it's about flexibility and variety. I get a bit bored if I'm one place for too long and find that short/no notice periods means I can move on when I start to get itchy feet.

I very much dislike office politics and 360 PDRs to justify a 1% pay rise each year.

I like deciding how long my holidays are going to be or how much time I take off each year without getting permission to take it.

[Whorty]

For me, it's about flexibility and variety. I get a bit bored if I'm one place for too long and find that short/no notice periods means I can move on when I start to get itchy feet.

I very much dislike office politics and 360 PDRs to justify a 1% pay rise each year.

I like deciding how long my holidays are going to be or how much time I take off each year without getting permission to take it.

This

[darmstadt]

Being able to doing a moonlight flit having raided the stationary cupboard one too many times....

[Old Greg]

Being able to doing a moonlight flit having raided the stationary cupboard one too many times....

At least a stationary cupboard can't chase after you.

[original PM]

For me, it's about flexibility and variety. I get a bit bored if I'm one place for too long and find that short/no notice periods means I can move on when I start to get itchy feet.

I very much dislike office politics and 360 PDRs to justify a 1% pay rise each year.

I like deciding how long my holidays are going to be or how much time I take off each year without getting permission to take it.

I agree..

trick is to not take it seriously - we get a cost of living rise each year anyway so.....

[Old Greg]

I agree..

trick is to not take it seriously - we get a cost of living rise each year anyway so.....

I just got an 18% increase on my rate at renewal.

[ladymuck]

I just got an 18% increase on my rate at renewal.

[Old Greg]

Almost makes up for rates being pretty stagnant over the last decade.