When do you become desperate enough to go perm?

[ChimpMaster]

I don't know how long you've been contracting so it's difficult to advise (judge?!) your situation.

I have always viewed contracting as a temporary part of my working life. Temporary doesn't have to mean a few months; in fact it's been 8 years for me and if I'm fortunate I will get another year.

I have appreciated every single year that I have contracted and I have for better or worse planned for the worst case scenario: I have been paying off my mortgage, saving, investing and trying to build up residual income. In some ways I have treated each year of contract as my last, but that's also because I'm highly skilled in an end-of-line product and fully expect next year to be my last in this field.

I will most likely have to go permie after this contract ends next year, but I have put myself in such a position that I can (hopefully) be that little more selective. Nothing is ever constant though, and unplanned events can turn your life on a dime, but you've got to plan best you can and hope that things turn out even better.

If you do go permie, make sure you get something out of it too, I mean like in terms of training, new skills, fulfillment or whatever. There has to be something that keeps you happy.

Best of luck.

To think I wrote this post only a week ago and am now considering giving up my contract for a permie 'opportunity'!

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

And now?

And now what?

[Ruprect]

Unless the low rate is so low that you're better off permie, I'd stick with contracting.

Or the offer is so good that you're better off permie


just sayin like...

[Butcheroo]

When do you become desperate enough to go perm?

I would take lower rate or travel further. I could not be arsed with appraisals, one to ones, where do you want to be in 5 yrs rubbish

Want to do this forever if poss. Problem is 1 ir35 hunt from hmrc would ruin anyone for good.