If you were to go perm what would you want your salary(+bonuses) to be?

[BrilloPad]

FTFY

I hope your new job is somewhere where precision and correctness isn't one of the required skills...

Its one of the hedge funds you hate so much.

[Old Greg]

50% tax you mean?

25p?

[AtW]

Its one of the hedge funds you hate so much.

I don't mind people with your skills to join them.

[SimonMac]

That's got nothing to do with it.

Question is simple. For you to swap from contracting to perm what salary would you want?

Some of you johnny come latelys will be thinking 'I'm worth 150k' but that's not really the issue. I take home a certain amount per year from contracting and if converted what would it be.

Well for me it does, I contract because what it can do for me, your assumption is that money is the only driving point.

For example I can happily earn £30-40k in a 4-5 months contracting which will be a good permie wage for some, that would therefore allow me to take a minimum of 6 months off and spend that time with the kids.

[Diver]

As an ex contractor now a permie nearly at the upper end of the poll payscale I have the benefit of security if/when ill, a pension, BUPA, shares and large annual bonuses (New car next Month) and more importantly peace of mind in a three month notice period.

It would take a very high end long term gig to make me go back to contracting.

[AtW]

I have the benefit of security.... more importantly peace of mind in a three month notice period.

[Diver]

and your point is?

What were you expecting, security of tenure

Oh yeh! forgot to mention the very good redundancy package and retirement Golden Handshake

[NotAllThere]

Two words: appraisals, targets.

Those, coupled with maybe max 6 weeks holiday a year and 5 day weeks, Forget it.

[Hot Mess]

Two words: appraisals, targets.

Those, coupled with maybe max 6 weeks holiday a year and 5 day weeks, Forget it.

+1mm

I think you'll find those trying to kid themselves that they're better off perm are reaching the end of their careers. They're worried about the future and are looking for stability.

Or they've convinced themselves that they're bored of contracting and that going perm will work out much better for them. Hmm, best of luck with that.

Going perm is admitting defeat. Trying to convince yourself that you're better off financially is what all permies in this position have to do

Oh and as far as hedge fund bonuses in IT are concerned. If you don't work in the business (trading desk) you are likely to be disappointed with your 'bonus', especially if the funds perform poorly. I know many people in the big funds who are not happy bunnies and want to get back into contracting.. Just syaing like

[hyperD]

Two words: appraisals, targets.

Those, coupled with maybe max 6 weeks holiday a year and 5 day weeks, Forget it.

And endless meetings.

My nirvana is getting my multi-client, direct business running a full shout again. Although you can have the perception of flexibility and freedom, it can take over your life again leaving you cash rich and time poor.

I'm trying to avoid those mistakes of the past.

The thing that worries me is that as I get older and more disenfranchised with IT and work in general, I worry that prospective clients may not hire the services of an old, bedraggled vagabond at some stage, when I may reek of vodka, piss-ridden clothes and pushing a Sainsbury's shopping trolley full of KFC leftovers, dead rodents and Big Issue mags to my interviews.

I may end up perched upon my office chair, staring out of the window, swimming in effluent waiting for the ticker to stop in an alcohol infused race to oblivion.

There again, I could end up with a rich octogenarian, buy a Twin Otter plane from my courageous offers of silver tongue cavalier-ism and engage my contractual services in ferrying and startling Maldive holiday makers by making heroic hi-g yoyos and engaging in a high speed, flapless, powerless water landing inches from the Banyan Tree Island's welcome pier.

The screams and projectile vomiting would be worthwhile. As would my onboard stash of piña coladas and bucket of live lobsters.