What's the point in permiedom?

**Cliphead** · 30 October 2010, 19:56

Originally posted by NorthWestPerm2Contr View Post

Before going contracting I was warned about the risks and the instability. About the difficulties and having to travel etc etc.

9 months into contracting I am struggling to see the exact same points with regards to permiedom. i.e.

The instability of worrying about getting through each month
The risk of losing the job and having absolutely no money
The difficulties of getting into debt and having financial problems
Having to travel but not being able to claim it back in expenses

Now will somebody explain to me what is the point in permiedom?

No point at all as far as I can see.

Which brings up another point. Having contracted for decades my chances of going back to permiedom are very slim. Lots of reasons why that would be but getting past some HR muppet would be the biggest hurdle, even as a contractor having to deal with these people is a trial. HR just don't seem to get it and insist on applying the same rules as they would to a permie.

Contract before this one - self appraisal, health & safety training, induction (one week induction that actually completed in my last week after six months), exit interview etc.

I'll stick with what I've got, no issues with IR35, a good accountant, very good current ClientCo and a decent Plan B.

**jmo21** · 30 October 2010, 19:57

ssssssshhhhh.........

the permies might hear you!

I take great pleasure in telling permie's stuff like it's an unstable lifestyle, difficult to get mortgage etc

**shoes** · 30 October 2010, 20:00

Permiedom is the slavery of the unimaginative or the temporary torture chamber of the unfortunate.

**MrMark** · 30 October 2010, 20:02

Originally posted by jmo21 View Post

ssssssshhhhh.........

the permies might hear you!

I take great pleasure in telling permie's stuff like it's an unstable lifestyle, difficult to get mortgage etc

It is an unstable lifestyle - I was benched for 12 months last year. There again I only went contracting because agencies deemed I was too experienced to put forward for permie roles. Hate to break the news, but pimps control our destinies.

**Cliphead** · 30 October 2010, 20:06

Originally posted by MrMark View Post

Hate to break the news, but pimps control our destinies.

Agreed but only to a point. Establishing a good relationship with the client can lead to return gigs cutting out the pimps as well as recommendations. Cold canvassing in the past has also worked well for me even for companies with a preferred supplier.

I've only had to deal with one agency in the past twelve years, current gig I sourced myself.

**northernladuk** · 30 October 2010, 23:36

Permiedom gives you a better chance to be become the best you can though. They have career ladders and progression that you don't get as easily contracting. You can grown and achieve a lot more. When you have reached a level of comfort then you can go and use those skills. It is very difficult to start of coding and end up being a senior manager as a contractor, not impossible but not as easy. I certainly would not have been happy if I had left early and used techie skills for the rest of my life cause I thought I could be better so did the career monkey thing until I reached my ceiling and then went contracting at that level. If you want to just get coding experience and then leave then fine but you won't know what you could have become over the years.

Agreed now we are out it seems pointless but it was a good way to achieve the best we could be. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for permiedom so can't knock it really.

**NickFitz** · 31 October 2010, 05:30

Permiedom might have made some sense in the days when you could enter upon a career and change companies somewhere between zero and three times, with the final company being the one you stayed in for twenty or more years and left with a comfortable pension. My father, who will be eighty in a couple of months, is of a time when that was feasible.

Over the last thirty or so years the idea that you can find stable employment that you will keep (and that will keep you) until retirement has become meaningless, even if you're so lacking in ability that you move "up" into management rather than doing anything useful. Just ask the former CEOs of Woolworths or Lehman Brothers.

**MrMark** · 31 October 2010, 06:22

I suppose the point of permiedom is having a company pension by default. Plus an invite to the xmas party!

**OwlHoot** · 31 October 2010, 08:05

Originally posted by MrMark View Post

I suppose the point of permiedom is having a company pension by default. Plus an invite to the xmas party!

Thinking back, I've been invited to the clientco Christmas party practically every one of the twelve years I've been contracting.

What's the point in permiedom?