Contract or perm

[OwlHoot]

The following questions might make the choice easier:

How secure is the company? Some companies are no more secure than a contract.

How long do you tend to stay on a given contract?

Do you prefer regular change with associated challenges? A permie can get pigeon holed.

Does the permie job offer a chance to learn new skills? It might offer you the opportunity to broaden your skills, making you more employable.

How far do you tend to travel to the contract, and is the permie job nearer?

How long do you spend between contracts?

How much do you value making friends in a company?

I don't think there's any obvious answer as to which is best. I would be tempted to go contract with the option to go permie on the understanding that the permie role would be long term. That way I would see what the place was like.

Also are you expected/likely to do much overtime? As a salaried permie you probably wouldn't be paid any extra for this.

Ditto travel time if you'll be spending a lot of time at client sites.

[partimer]

certification

In addition to what has already been said.

One thing I would seriously consider, are you able to get any training/certification as a permie? Any certification normal costs several thousand pounds and you can't charge whilst sitting exams when you are a contractor. Go permie and get all your certification, etc.

When/if you leave they can't take away what you've learnt.

[Denny]

Can anyone suggest and sensible reason(s) why I may want to take the permie option because I really am struggling to justify moving to the dark side.

Exocists are listed in the Yellow Pages.

[Fleetwood]

exorcists

[Captain Jack]

Exoskeletons?

[Francko]

Exogamous?

[Captain Jack]

Isn't erudite a type of glue?

[sasguru]

Executioners

(Baghdad Yellow Pages is awash with them)

[Xenophon]

Go perm

[Mr Crosby]

He's gorgeous.