Reply to: Permie to Contractor notice period

[PurpleGorilla]

Hi all,

I am a permie hoping to move into contracting. I'm a bit uncertain about one thing though, my notice period.

I have a 4 week notice period with my job but I can't hand my notice in without having somewhere to go (mortgage, bills etc).

Quick start times for contracts seem to be the norm so I was wondering if anyone has not worked their notice period in a situation like this? To be honest I have had enough of my job so much that it personally doesn't bother me getting a contract and saying see ya! Just want to avoid any negative ramifications for the future.

Many thanks

Dave

If you are niche skill - a client may wait for you during your notice period. Depends how desperate they are and the state of the market.

Negotiate it down from the 4 weeks and use you leave up to reduce the gap.

Personally I would attempt to secure a contract role, then hand in notice. That's what I did. But I don't work in IT.

[jamesbrown]

It's a myth you earn more.

This is stretching the reality too. Sure, you may elect to consider tax efficiency, retaining much of the profit and closing the company later on w/ ER, or take a few months or years off along the way, but deferred income and opportunity still count as earning more. However, 3x more is unlikely, at least consistently.

[stek]

Mrs. Stek visits CUK does she? Come off it, the other one has bells on

Ltd earns shed loads!!

I, however don't!

Not married either, unmarried partner of 11 years, not a shareholder, not an employee, not a director!

[d000hg]

It's a myth you earn more

Mrs. Stek visits CUK does she? Come off it, the other one has bells on

[TheFaQQer]

I earn about the same from contracting as I did from perm, I just take the same tax efficient sal/divvies as we all do. Rest is the war chest.

It's a myth you earn more. You can if you want to give a sizeable lump to the taxman too, but I'd rather stash it.

This.

My take home is marginally more than as a permie, but not much.

[stek]

I earn about the same from contracting as I did from perm, I just take the same tax efficient sal/divvies as we all do. Rest is the war chest.

It's a myth you earn more. You can if you want to give a sizeable lump to the taxman too, but I'd rather stash it.

[jamesbrown]

you earn 3x what they do

Glad it worked out for you. The above, though, is highly unlikely in practice unless you can sustain work without breaks, enforced or otherwise. Build up your warchest initially. But once you're financially independent, yes, it's unbeatable.

[Daveitcont]

Update

Thought i'd give you an update if anyone was interested and for anyone reading this post in the future.

In the end I handed my notice in with no contract to go to. Scary but its something i'd been advised to do from agencies and fellow contractors. I had a 4 week notice period and planned on going for contracts in my 3rd week but luckily a contract opened up at an old company I worked for and I started beginning of October after working 2.5 weeks of my notice. Manager gave me the ok to cut it short.

Best thing i've done, no negatives as yet. If you're unhappy in your permie job, give it a go!

Thanks for all the advice on here.

PS. Lots of tongue in cheeks comments about contractors made by permie staff, mainly about pay. They say their joking but you know deep down it does get to some that you earn 3x what they do. Let it go over your head, at least you have the balls to do something about it if you're unhappy in your work!

[I just need to test it]

How is your relationship with your superiors at work? Are you prepared to open dialogue with your boss along the lines of "Look, it's not you, it's me. I will be off shortly." then see how flexible they are re: notice period. They might surprise you.

[kevpuk]

To further add some balance, I found a contract first and then managed to get the Client to agree to a 4-week notice period from my permie role, and had pretty much nothing behind me in terms of Warchest, when I started out. That said, my wife earns a decent permie salary, so we could have got by for a good 3 months or so, had things all gone awry.
As it happened, my first contract was for 6 months; I then had 2 to choose from, both finishing one on the Friday, starting new one on the Monday (OK, I think I managed to negotiate Tuesday ) and then when that one was winding down I had to choose between 3, one of which was first Client again........So, for me, the transition was pretty smooth and worked out well.

But, YMMV!!!!!

[MojoDog]

Encouragement is the wrong word, I asked a question and I got a lot of negativity about how difficulty it is, I don't seem ready, are you sure it's for you etc etc.

But in your question you said:

"Quick start times for contracts seem to be the norm so I was wondering if anyone has not worked their notice period in a situation like this? To be honest I have had enough of my job so much that it personally doesn't bother me getting a contract and saying see ya! Just want to avoid any negative ramifications for the future."

If that's the case why are you letting 'negativity' get to you...? :-)

It'll work or it won't. Only you will know for sure how it will pan out. Others on here are trying to help by sharing their experiences or warning you of possible pitfalls.

To end on a positive note - it was the best thing I ever did.

[evilagent]

Encouragement is the wrong word, I asked a question and I got a lot of negativity about how difficulty it is, I don't seem ready, are you sure it's for you etc etc.

They are just playing devils advocate for you.

have you put your CV out there?
are many agencies calling you back? ie, are you in demand?
if they are, is it generic chat (fishing), or are they talking specific projects that could put you forward for?

dont pin your hopes on just one contract. you want to be offered a number of gigs, and have a fallback option.
is your market sector buoyant?
do you know anyone with your skillset already working freelance? have you spoken to them?

[SueEllen]

Sarcasm aside, I suppose I don't see my permanent contract in the same way as one that I will get through my ltd company. If my current employer wanted me gone, I'd be on garden leave tomorrow, no messing. So 'breaching a contract' is technically correct but a little strong in my view. I just want to shave a week or 2 off my notice period.

One issue you will have with walking out is that some clients do really require references from your ex-employer just to check you aren't a crook/criminal.

As no ex-employer has to legally provide a reference it's in your interest not to p*ss them off.

Agents looking for "references" tend to ask for them before you have the role, while screening companies require you to complete the form yourself.

[TheFaQQer]

So 'breaching a contract' is technically correct but a little strong in my view. I just want to shave a week or 2 off my notice period.

Is there a clause in the contract which details the amount of notice you have to give to terminate it?

Assuming "yes", are you planning to adhere to that clause, or are you planning to breach it?

Whether you see your breach as strong or not is a moot point - as I said earlier, if there is a chance that you might need something from the party that you are intending to legally wrong, then I would suggest you think carefully about that decision.

[NickNick]

Many contracts are nailed on Friday, start on Monday.

However, the lead time to the Friday can be weeks in my experience.