Long time contractor

[Whorty]

I guess you have 2 choices when you move from contractor to permie role ... you can go full permie mode, buy in to all the permie 'stuff' like appraisals, politics etc, or you can work as you did before as a contractor and ignore the carp.

I'm permie at the moment as it suited me this past year or so whilst I was looking after Mrs W, and I'll probably stay this way for a bit as I owe these guys for supporting me. But I don't play the appraisals game .... just told them to write what they want as it's the pay packing that tells me if I'll stay or leave.

I've done a few FTCs over the years too, and same there. They can write an appraisal that I'm god's gift to women, but if the pay doesn't match then I won't extend. Or they can say I'm a dog dinner but if the pay goes up on extension I'll stay.

When (not if) I go back contracting again I'll choose to go via umbrella as I can't be bothered to set up another ltd.

That's my personal view ....

[Lance]

You will be a corporate drone fully assimilated into the corporate collective

I do enjoy calling the Permies 'corporate drones' when they go off to company wide meetings that contractors are not invited to.

and they say such nice things about you in that meeting...

[mallisarealperson]

I can relate to this - been contracting for 20 years. Just finished my last contract because it was changing over to umbrella only - and the pay offer to compensate was miserly.

A feeling of dread sums it up. I've run a business succesfully for 20 years, and not many can say that. In my view its a legitimate and viable business and it feels like the government are shutting it down, with a brexit and a covid on top. I really resent them for this; for crushing my livelihood at a time of crisis instead of helping.

I have no idea really what will come next. Maybe PAYE via umbrella isn't too bad an option, so long as I put asside the max in pension contributions the extra tax is managable. Maybe I should take a permie role and aim high - head architect or CTO role, at least then I might actually be able to have some positive influence early in the design, rather than continually picking up the pieces as a contractor.

Maybe I could start out fresh with some new business idea. Fortunately working as a contractor has enabled me to pay off debts, and also learn how to live cheaply since you always have to conserve money between contracts. I don't really care about being rich, I'd be happy making a moderate living doing something that interests me, that I own and take a pride in, and doesn't drive me to despair with the usual corporate BS or monotony or silly workplace politics.

Agree with you. I was happy just doing what I do. Have no interest in corporate life at all. In fact all that stuff drains the energy from me.

[mallisarealperson]

Get ready for permie innoculations

I could always opt for this in the office.


https://metro.co.uk/2021/04/06/new-2...ones-14368246/

[vetran]

Having seen so many good people devote themselves to the company dollar then be screwed. Its a business contract or a permie contract both have drawbacks. Treat them both as temporary and pay lip service to the HR BS.

Currently getting into a nice safe permie job looks good while we wait for covid to blow over. I fancy a nice contract when the opportunities start.

Was once a contractor then went Permie to work for an old boss which I loved, he understood I came to work for the money, decent challenge and fun. I can get a boredom and politics anywhere. He was forced out and I left a while after apparently I wasn't a team player neither was the feckwit who had taken over as my boss 30 + years with the organisation and no one wanted to work for him. Luckily the redundancy was pretty good.

Now doing project work which I like as its a bit of both.

[mallisarealperson]

Having seen so many good people devote themselves to the company dollar then be screwed. Its a business contract or a permie contract both have drawbacks. Treat them both as temporary and pay lip service to the HR BS.

Currently getting into a nice safe permie job looks good while we wait for covid to blow over. I fancy a nice contract when the opportunities start.

Was once a contractor then went Permie to work for an old boss which I loved, he understood I came to work for the money, decent challenge and fun. I can get a boredom and politics anywhere. He was forced out and I left a while after apparently I wasn't a team player neither was the feckwit who had taken over as my boss 30 + years with the organisation and no one wanted to work for him. Luckily the redundancy was pretty good.

Now doing project work which I like as its a bit of both.

Happened to me in my last perm job back in 2005. Offshoring and all that.