Never say never

[Mich the Tester]

I said I'd never do it. Wild horses couldn't drag me back to permiedoom. But I've had such a good offer that I'm taking it, and in a few weeks time I shall be handing in my contractor badge and going to the dark side. The offer is very good; my salary, bonus and pension/car/health insurance/expenses/education and training package is actually worth quite a bit more than I can earn as a contract tester, and there are shares involved.

Why am I doing it?

Firstly, it's a very good offer at a company where there are people I know and respect.

Secondly, I think contracting is fooked at least for the medium term. Rates have fallen and there's no room to negotiate rates at the big corporates with their PSLs, while many smaller clients in NL have a reputation for being very nice and fun until the time to pay the invoice comes along. My rate has wobbled up and down, but peaked in 2008 before the credit crunchie crisis that continues to bore us today, contracts are shorter and it's more and more difficult to get enough work to pay myself the kind of salary the permieco are offering.

Thirdly, our wonderful government is taking away some of the tax advantages that the self-employed enjoy, because just as any other government, they want to carry on spending more than the taxpayer can raise. I've had enough of their bureaucracy and if I have to pay as much tax as a permie, then I may as well be a permie and get some benefits if I end up unemployed or sick.

Fourth, it's becoming more difficult to run a one man business as a craftsman and I'm not a businessman; I'm a craftsman and I want someone else to do all the businessy stuff.

Fifth; it's no fun anymore and I want to go home every evening.

So there you have it; I'm going permie.

[snaw]

I said I'd never do it. Wild horses couldn't drag me back to permiedoom. But I've had such a good offer that I'm taking it, and in a few weeks time I shall be handing in my contractor badge and going to the dark side. The offer is very good; my salary, bonus and pension/car/health insurance/expenses/education and training package is actually worth quite a bit more than I can earn as a contract tester, and there are shares involved.

Why am I doing it?

Firstly, it's a very good offer at a company where there are people I know and respect.

Secondly, I think contracting is fooked at least for the medium term. Rates have fallen and there's no room to negotiate rates at the big corporates with their PSLs, while many smaller clients in NL have a reputation for being very nice and fun until the time to pay the invoice comes along. My rate has wobbled up and down, but peaked in 2008 before the credit crunchie crisis that continues to bore us today, contracts are shorter and it's more and more difficult to get enough work to pay myself the kind of salary the permieco are offering.

Thirdly, our wonderful government is taking away some of the tax advantages that the self-employed enjoy, because just as any other government, they want to carry on spending more than the taxpayer can raise. I've had enough of bureaucracy.

Fourth, it's becoming more difficult to run a one man business as a craftsman and I'm not a businessman; I'm a craftsman and I want someone else to do all the businessy stuff.

So there you have it; I'm going permie.

Welcome to quarterly reviews, yearly objectives, personal development plans, dealing with HR & whinging about your bonus.

On the plus side, good bonuses, training courses, travel to exotic locations (Well me at least), paid holidays, working form home, career progression, medical insurance & life being a bit simpler.

I miss it, esp during the boom years, but not as much as I thought I would and having a family to look after changes your priorities and perceptions.

[TykeMerc]

Perfectly sensible decision from the sounds of it.

I hope it works out well, it's not like there's anything to stop you going back to contracting if the circumstances change later.

[northernladuk]

Secondly, I think contracting is fooked at least for the medium term. Rates have fallen and there's no room to negotiate rates at the big corporates with their PSLs, while many smaller clients in NL have a reputation for being very nice and fun until the time to pay the invoice comes along. My rate has wobbled up and down, but peaked in 2008 before the credit crunchie crisis that continues to bore us today, contracts are shorter and it's more and more difficult to get enough work to pay myself the kind of salary the permieco are offering..

Medium and long term. Contracting is the new preferred method of filling positions i.e. temporary employment. We are all fooked.

[Mich the Tester]

Welcome to quarterly reviews, yearly objectives, personal development plans, dealing with HR & whinging about your bonus.

On the plus side, good bonuses, training courses, travel to exotic locations (Well me at least), paid holidays, working form home, career progression, medical insurance & life being a bit simpler.

I miss it, esp during the boom years, but not as much as I thought I would and having a family to look after changes your priorities and perceptions.

Yep, but I'm a contractor and I miss the boom years too. But there's no point in regretting it; I don't think the boom years are going to coming back.

[vetran]

So there you have it; I'm going permie.

Welcome to the dark side, wait here in a comfy armchair until the thaw comes.

Trick is to realise its a game and the reviews etc can be an immense source of fun.

[Mich the Tester]

Medium and long term. Contracting is the new preferred method of filling positions i.e. temporary employment. We are all fooked.

Yep, and working according to so-called 'industry best practises' instead of using your brain and your skills because some purchasing manager or HR numpty thinks he knows enough about testing to tell someone with 15 years experience how to do his job.

[Mich the Tester]

Welcome to the dark side, wait here in a comfy armchair until the thaw comes.

Trick is to realise its a game and the reviews etc can be an immense source of fun.

A former agent who has become a friend is a psychologist by training ; he has lots of tips for dealing with reviews, or should I say, dealing with reviewers.

[Robinho]

Does this mean you won't be posting on here any more?

[norrahe]

Market in NL is pretty crap for interim, along with worsening tax rules, its not worth it.