Contracting and the Way You Were Parented

[oxtailsoup]

My Dad was a contractor on Texas Instruments, then System 38, then RPG and AS400.

Didn't learn anything off him at all from a techy perspective, just wasn't interested in the slightest. However it was obvius it paid well and he was always working from what I can remember. So to me it looked stable and profitable. Plus a lot of his mates were contractors and they all had great cars too which makes an impression on a young lad.

Begs the question...... Would you encourage your off spring to be a contractor? Personally I would unless things change.

[wendigo100]

Begs the question...... Would you encourage your off spring to be a contractor? Personally I would unless things change.

Excellent question.

However, I'm encouraging my kids to think "make money", rather than any particular way of doing it.

That is the opposite to what I was led to believe, which was that "vocation" and "good steady career" were the most important things in the lefty days I was brought up in.

[SallyAnne]

I think I'd advise my kids to most definately set up their own businesses...but probably do it via a trade (like plumbing or plasterring or somethnig) where the tax man didn't hound them and treat them like criminals.

[andy]

I have a dream to start a business when I have enough dosh and I would advise my son to do the same.
Nobody has ever become millionaire by doing a job or contracting.

[Chugnut]

Excellent question.

However, I'm encouraging my kids to think "make money", rather than any particular way of doing it.

That is the opposite to what I was led to believe, which was that "vocation" and "good steady career" were the most important things in the lefty days I was brought up in.

When I was growing up the advice was always get into IT or a similar office job, it's a job for life, etc. Don't be a builder or a plumber, that's what the monkey's do.

They seem to have done alright over the last ten years. Most of the builders I know are minted.

[Zorba]

I'm just gutted that I worked 8 years as a permie before realising what an idiot I had been all those years. I was a SAP consultant in the late 90's earning £25k salary... when I could have had £500/day back then

Now I've lost my SAP skills but fortunately I'm doing OK for now. Wish I had gone SAP contracting back then and so I would still be in it.

My dad was also always a permie, but had the acumen to use his electrical technician skills to do some private work on the side - that's the only reason he made his money.

.net is where it's at nowadays - although I know several people who were pocketing over £1K a day in that field in the late 90's

My parents came to England in the sixties and set up their businesses from nothing. Neither were uni educated - they sent me there though and even though I'm now a contractor who's doing alright for himself, I still feel like I should do more to surpass their efforts (as each generation is 'supposed to' in my family).

[ChimpMaster]

.net is where it's at nowadays - although I know several people who were pocketing over £1K a day in that field in the late 90's

My parents came to England in the sixties and set up their businesses from nothing. Neither were uni educated - they sent me there though and even though I'm now a contractor who's doing alright for himself, I still feel like I should do more to surpass their efforts (as each generation is 'supposed to' in my family).

Why is .net "where it's at"? Is it paying £1k a day now?

[AlfredJPruffock]

It's quite worrying just how much you turn into your Dad as you get older.

Growing up to be just like Dad
death defying times ahead
Now Dad sits and has every comfort
and sits with a washable cover

but it worries him that his life has gone by .

Cheerio.

So he says to his son.

I don't want to
I don't need to
I've retired you see.

But it worries me
how can I convey to
you might turn out to be ,
possibly....an armchair like me.


Vivian Stanshall

[Zorba]

Why is .net "where it's at"? Is it paying £1k a day now?

No idea but it must surely be paying better than that SAP thing. You'd have to be mad to get back into that....

Milan? Anybody?

[rootsnall]

Why is .net "where it's at"? Is it paying £1k a day now?

£1k a day minimum