Originally posted by DS23
View Post
- Visitors can check out the Forum FAQ by clicking this link. You have to register before you can post: click the REGISTER link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. View our Forum Privacy Policy.
- Want to receive the latest contracting news and advice straight to your inbox? Sign up to the ContractorUK newsletter here. Every sign up will also be entered into a draw to WIN £100 Amazon vouchers!
You are not logged in or you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:
- You are not logged in. If you are already registered, fill in the form below to log in, or follow the "Sign Up" link to register a new account.
- You may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
- If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.
Logging in...
Previously on "Would you move into contracting in my situation? And some advice about consulting?"
Collapse
-
Originally posted by Wings View PostHi,
I am in a very lucrative market right now where contractors get paid somewhere between £250-£350 a day.
I have IT certifications for the relevant softwares companies demand.
And I also have ton of technical coding knowledge from mentoring people.
However, I lack consulting experience. People with less English language skills can do it and I wonder why I can't.
For me consulting feels like an under pressure job where I have to deliver whatever client asks for and be able to handle whatever issues come my way in a very short period of time.
In reality this is negotiated but I feel very anxious when I think about consulting like this. But I wonder why I feel so nervous because I am one of the most knowledgeable people around.
What's your advice on being able to handle the two things? What should I do?
I am looking for really sound advice so please help
But anyway, good rate or not: MTFU +1Last edited by clearedforlanding; 2 February 2016, 20:55.
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by TheFaQQer View PostI write as someone who three years into contracting couldn't find a contract for over seven months.
I thought you were born a contractor.. OMG I'm broken.
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by TheFaQQer View Post<snip - not responding to that bit>
When you look at experienced contractors who cannot get a contract for a year, do you honestly think that they haven't considered a move back into a permanent job in that time?
As for taking a perm role of the level at which I'd been contracting, then I'd say after six months or two months before my warchest runs out. Each to their own though.
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by pr1 View PostMaybe time will tell, I don't think the idea I could go back tomorrow (18months later) is laughable - I'm still in touch with my old employer and people who work there, they're always asking.
Originally posted by pr1 View PostYou sound like you're talking about someone who's been contracting for years by which point you don't have an excuse not to have a reasonable warchest and by which point, yes, I can appreciate those problems could arise - but they're not the reason not to start out contracting in the first place - by the time it happens you might have paid off your mortgage
But that's OK, because I could have just walked into a permanent job, right?
When you look at experienced contractors who cannot get a contract for a year, do you honestly think that they haven't considered a move back into a permanent job in that time?
Leave a comment:
-
If you have to ask for advice on here then quite clearly your not suited to being a contractor are you! To be a successful contractor you need:
1: Balls of steel.
2: Nerves of steel.
3: Strong people & communication skills.
4: Supreme confidence in your own abilities.
5: Supreme confidence in your CV landing you roles above the excessive competition.
Ask yourself what on earth do you possess which is going to make someone chose you above the competition who already have everything you have as well as contracting experience?
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by Wings View PostHi,
I am in a very lucrative market right now where contractors get paid somewhere between £250-£350 a day.
I have IT certifications for the relevant softwares companies demand.
And I also have ton of technical coding knowledge from mentoring people.
However, I lack consulting experience. People with less English language skills can do it and I wonder why I can't.
For me consulting feels like an under pressure job where I have to deliver whatever client asks for and be able to handle whatever issues come my way in a very short period of time.
In reality this is negotiated but I feel very anxious when I think about consulting like this. But I wonder why I feel so nervous because I am one of the most knowledgeable people around.
What's your advice on being able to handle the two things? What should I do?
I am looking for really sound advice so please help
MTFU + 1
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by TheFaQQer View PostI used to think the same. You do, until it happens to you.
When you're without a contract for a long time, at what point do you stop looking for contracts and start looking for permanent work? Is it after 6 weeks, or 6 months? Or do you just keep thinking "I'm better than this, I'll get a new contract soon enough" and keep plugging away at the contract market in the hope that by being flexible about where you work and being well-regarded and skilled you'll find something? When there's no local work within your skill set for permanent work, where do you go after that? Or do you just double-up the applications and apply for any contract that you could do, regardless of rate or location? And when you do that and get knocked back for having too much experience, where do you look for work? If you eventually find a permanent job that you can do, how do you deal with the "you're going to leave us as soon as the market picks up" questions? Assuming you even get that far, of course. And then when you talk to an agent and they ask you what you've been doing for the past six months, what do you tell them? That you've been applying for jobs but can't find one, for whatever reason. Or do you lie and say "oh, I've been travelling" and hope that you don't get asked about where you went...
Until you have experienced it, the idea that you just walk back into a permanent job when the contract market turns bad is laughable.
I've been lucky throughout my contracting career, never had it really tough, probably due to the the fact that I have a huge war chest (helps with not sounding desperate) but have met a few contractors that turned permie as it went pretty grim!! Especially during 2008-2011, those three years were suppose to be pretty hard.....just read Richard craniums bench post....man thats some sombre reading....
To the OP - I have to say you don't sound like you're cut out for contracting......stay permie...it's less stressful and less dangerous...
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by TheFaQQer View PostI used to think the same. You do, until it happens to you.
When you're without a contract for a long time, at what point do you stop looking for contracts and start looking for permanent work? Is it after 6 weeks, or 6 months? Or do you just keep thinking "I'm better than this, I'll get a new contract soon enough" and keep plugging away at the contract market in the hope that by being flexible about where you work and being well-regarded and skilled you'll find something? When there's no local work within your skill set for permanent work, where do you go after that? Or do you just double-up the applications and apply for any contract that you could do, regardless of rate or location? And when you do that and get knocked back for having too much experience, where do you look for work? If you eventually find a permanent job that you can do, how do you deal with the "you're going to leave us as soon as the market picks up" questions? Assuming you even get that far, of course. And then when you talk to an agent and they ask you what you've been doing for the past six months, what do you tell them? That you've been applying for jobs but can't find one, for whatever reason. Or do you lie and say "oh, I've been travelling" and hope that you don't get asked about where you went...
Until you have experienced it, the idea that you just walk back into a permanent job when the contract market turns bad is laughable.
You sound like you're talking about someone who's been contracting for years by which point you don't have an excuse not to have a reasonable warchest and by which point, yes, I can appreciate those problems could arise - but they're not the reason not to start out contracting in the first place - by the time it happens you might have paid off your mortgage
If he gets a 250-350 gig he's going to know in the first couple of months whether he's made a mistake or not (confidence/ability/knowledge wise) - if he has, go back perm, if not, he'll be glad he went for it imo
(I've assumed he, replace for she if appropriate)
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by pr1 View PostThere's a lot of scare mongering of "what if you're on the bench for two years" - this is usually from the "contract or die" fraternity, in the real world if you're struggling to find a contract for a few months you can always go back to a perm job - as long as you don't stretch your lifestyle to become dependant on the "full time" contracting income you'll be fine
When you're without a contract for a long time, at what point do you stop looking for contracts and start looking for permanent work? Is it after 6 weeks, or 6 months? Or do you just keep thinking "I'm better than this, I'll get a new contract soon enough" and keep plugging away at the contract market in the hope that by being flexible about where you work and being well-regarded and skilled you'll find something? When there's no local work within your skill set for permanent work, where do you go after that? Or do you just double-up the applications and apply for any contract that you could do, regardless of rate or location? And when you do that and get knocked back for having too much experience, where do you look for work? If you eventually find a permanent job that you can do, how do you deal with the "you're going to leave us as soon as the market picks up" questions? Assuming you even get that far, of course. And then when you talk to an agent and they ask you what you've been doing for the past six months, what do you tell them? That you've been applying for jobs but can't find one, for whatever reason. Or do you lie and say "oh, I've been travelling" and hope that you don't get asked about where you went...
Until you have experienced it, the idea that you just walk back into a permanent job when the contract market turns bad is laughable.
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by northernladuk View PostNot fair. I've got too many infractions to be so direct
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by LondonManc View PostSimply beat NLUK to the ball, both going for the same shot. NLUK did well to recover and destroy line by line after the MTFU initiative. We're a job offer (sic) away from a "have you asked your accountant" gambit tbh.
Leave a comment:
- Home
- News & Features
- First Timers
- IR35 / S660 / BN66
- Employee Benefit Trusts
- Agency Workers Regulations
- MSC Legislation
- Limited Companies
- Dividends
- Umbrella Company
- VAT / Flat Rate VAT
- Job News & Guides
- Money News & Guides
- Guide to Contracts
- Successful Contracting
- Contracting Overseas
- Contractor Calculators
- MVL
- Contractor Expenses
Advertisers
Contractor Services
CUK News
- Streamline Your Retirement with iSIPP: A Solution for Contractor Pensions Sep 1 09:13
- Making the most of pension lump sums: overview for contractors Sep 1 08:36
- Umbrella company tribunal cases are opening up; are your wages subject to unlawful deductions, too? Aug 31 08:38
- Contractors, relabelling 'labour' as 'services' to appear 'fully contracted out' won't dupe IR35 inspectors Aug 31 08:30
- How often does HMRC check tax returns? Aug 30 08:27
- Work-life balance as an IT contractor: 5 top tips from a tech recruiter Aug 30 08:20
- Autumn Statement 2023 tipped to prioritise mental health, in a boost for UK workplaces Aug 29 08:33
- Final reminder for contractors to respond to the umbrella consultation (closing today) Aug 29 08:09
- Top 5 most in demand cyber security contract roles Aug 25 08:38
- Changes to the right to request flexible working are incoming, but how will contractors be affected? Aug 24 08:25
Leave a comment: