Contractor turned permie

[zamzummim]

No you just have to deal with w**kers (HR) instead

naah HR w**kers are never as bad, easily charmed. At least they don't take %% of my hard work.

[TinTin]

Lack of Respect for Contractors

I'd put that right at the top of the reasons some of you may want to think about it (together with a good package, prospects and continuous work - nice if you can get all of them). Not ashamed to admit that I jumped ship at the end of last year having done over 10 years solid contracting and 10 years prior to that working as a permie in a bank. If one wishes to climb whatever ladder or is fed up with propping other people - usually permies - why not? I find myself doing pretty OK, working with a nice bunch of people and having a say as to how things are done, as opposed to giving advice, someone else taking the credit and treated as a temp no matter how good you are. I know some of you will say take the money and don't bother, I think it might be different as you get older (over 40 that is). What do you think?

[Rantor]

I'd put that right at the top of the reasons some of you may want to think about it (together with a good package, prospects and continuous work - nice if you can get all of them). Not ashamed to admit that I jumped ship at the end of last year having done over 10 years solid contracting and 10 years prior to that working as a permie in a bank. If one wishes to climb whatever ladder or is fed up with propping other people - usually permies - why not? I find myself doing pretty OK, working with a nice bunch of people and having a say as to how things are done, as opposed to giving advice, someone else taking the credit and treated as a temp no matter how good you are. I know some of you will say take the money and don't bother, I think it might be different as you get older (over 40 that is). What do you think?

That is a very good point. I generally work in fairly senior roles on large projects and I know exactly how things can go wrong or, indeed, be done well. On each large project I have gone through the same process - 'If you continue to do a, b & c then the following bad things will happen.' On every project this is ignored by people who hired me specifically to provide this type of input. On one hand it makes for more revenue as they usually need someone to sort things out in the end if the project ain't canned.....but it is a pretty soul-destroying process in the end to wade through all this crap.

Would it be different as a permie? I honestly don't know but there are subtle differences as Z pointed out.

Biggest problem for me is that I don't think I am capapble of becoming a permy any more after 10 yrs under my own steam.