Reply to: contracting in IT

[cojak]

I think we've gone as far as we can with this thread. Thread locked.

[eek]

You've mixed up keyboard warriors and a forum joke about gladiators. Ho hum

Bee is rapidly replacing Psychocandy as the forum joke...

[LondonManc]

They are Gladiators because they want for forget their miserable lives, furthermore, they are just anonymous losers, cowards hiding behind a keyboard.

You've mixed up keyboard warriors and a forum joke about gladiators. Ho hum

[northernladuk]

They are Gladiators because they want for forget their miserable lives, furthermore, they are just anonymous losers, cowards hiding behind a keyboard.

Missed the mark again Bee... as usual...

[Bee]

Gladiators never flinch at the first blow that draws blood. This is the First Rule in the Circus Maximus.

They are Gladiators because they want for forget their miserable lives, furthermore, they are just anonymous losers, cowards hiding behind a keyboard.

[Sub]

28 days

Salary between 72-80k. Full time yes in networking

Sick pay for up to 20 days or so

Pension private healthcare ....

Still if you end up with 4k and in contracting wih 7 -8 k no brainer for me

Many will say that the package is very good - it isn't necessary that you will be better off money-wise at least for first couple of gigs.
Successful contracting comes with change of mindset - from employee to independent professional who enjoy constant development and competition. I know few contractors who always feel pain when they have to conduct next search/apply/interview process, they feel unhappy and always worried. Every time they start thinking about moving back to permanent job, but cannot because lifestyle they used to when contracting cannot be funded by perm salary.
Don't do that because of money - first of all because your calculation is just not mature enough to support the decision. I don't necessary agree with people who saying that contracting isn't about money, but it will bring a lot of change for you some of which may not feel that pleasant.

If you are simply bored and want something new - give it a try, you only risking your warm permie package. People changing from perm to contract and back a lot - not a once in a lifetime decision.

[chopper]

28 days

Salary between 72-80k. Full time yes in networking

Sick pay for up to 20 days or so

Pension private healthcare ....


Still if you end up with 4k and in contracting wih 7 -8 k no brainer for me

That 4k is yours. That 7-8k isn't all yours, you have to give truly massive chunks of it to the taxman.
Contractors don't get sick pay, holiday pay, (m|p)aternity pay, redundancy pay, notice period, bonuses, training, company pension contributions, health care... All of that has to come out of your '7-8k'. You have to get your own accountant and you have to get insured. Contractors have a far higher likelihood of a lengthy investigation by one of HMRC's finest, and seem to be the current target for chancellors to find a bit of extra revenue.

I find my personal drawings as a contractor are about the same as when I was a permie, even if my day rate is double. My company has significant reserves, but that is to cover me if I end up out of work.

If you think leaving your £72k-£80k a year permie job for contracting is suddenly going to get you a Porsche and a bigger house and shed loads of Caribbean holidays, then you are much mistaken. That comes later IF you are successful.

You have to ask yourself what YOU have to offer potential clients compared to the sea of network guys (I am one) with VASTLY more experience in lots of sectors and vastly more experience in getting their next contract. That you can't be bothered to porof reid ur postes hear shows lack of attention to detail.

As for how the market looks at the moment? Frankly, it is tulipe. I've just had another renewal, without which I'd probably be on the bench for a few weeks/months - not so much money or income there then. A few months ago, RBS canned a truly massive project and hundreds of contractors suddenly ended up back on the market and that has subdued demand. Why would a client hire you rather than one of the experienced contractors? How would you handle having to take a gig a couple of hundred miles away because nothing is available locally?

So with all that negativity in contracting, why do I do it? I do it for the flexibility, I have only had a couple of permie jobs in the past 17 years, and I left both before two years anyway, so I've always acted like a contractor anyway - I've never been cut out to be a permie. I do it because I can't be bothered with annual personal development reviews, instead I have to be good out of the box. I do it because I dislike the office politics, and I do it because the only person who can motivate me is me. The potential extra money is a bonus, but well down the list.

Your posts suggest that money is your only factor for you - so if you do go contracting, I guess we'll be reading in a couple of years about how you spent all your tax money (you have to be VERY self controlled when it comes to not spending the taxman's money, you'll have VAT, Corporation Tax, Income Tax and Dividend Tax to deal with, and maybe even IR35), or how you've been canned with no notice and who you can sue because you have no money left to pay the mortgage.

Contracting is a lifestyle choice, first and foremost. It isn't for most people.

[Lance]

How can some one get to a 72k job with all the trappings and still ask such basic questions? Something doesn't sit right...

and in networking?
It's not the 90s any more. CCIEs used to get this much, or more, but not with 7 years and they didn't sound/appear wet behind the ears.

I'm calling bulltulip.

If it is true then OP should stay where he is. There aren't many well paid networking contracts any more.

[Antman]

28 days

Salary between 72-80k. Full time yes in networking

Sick pay for up to 20 days or so

Pension private healthcare ....


Still if you end up with 4k and in contracting wih 7 -8 k no brainer for me

How can some one get to a 72k job with all the trappings and still ask such basic questions? Something doesn't sit right...

[Fronttoback]

28 days

Salary between 72-80k. Full time yes in networking

Sick pay for up to 20 days or so

Pension private healthcare ....


Still if you end up with 4k and in contracting wih 7 -8 k no brainer for me

That is a very nice package. 28 days holiday is worth 15-20 grand net as a contractor. The other factor to consider is when you are contracting there are no slack days, you have to grind every day- not much room to complain about the work, and you have to deal with the stress at renewal time and when you are facing the bench. Also, you will have a battle with the permies, other contractors and consultancies - all of whom want to sink you. So it's not for the faint hearted.

[northernladuk]

28 days

Salary between 72-80k. Full time yes in networking

Sick pay for up to 20 days or so

Pension private healthcare ....


Still if you end up with 4k and in contracting wih 7 -8 k no brainer for me

Listen. You've made your mind up and you are just getting tedious now. You've ignore all the other pros and cons and it's always about the money. You know what you want to do and why, you are going to ignore everything we say so why are you bothering replying?

BTW you 7-8 K is wrong. There is business income and then your income. One might get that. The other doesn't.... But you won't be told so fill your boots.

[Fronttoback]

Bonuses -With contracting you get a bonus everyday. With permiedom you have to work extra hard for it and it can get pulled for reasons outside of your control.

Picking a contract market is tricky. If you go cutting edge you really have to be at the top of your game. But you can be cross industry so there are more jobs. If you go domain specific and possibly even platform specific, you have less competition and higher rates but there are fewer jobs and you will generally deskill. There is possibly some middle ground where you do niche stuff but get to maintain a generic skillset that you can deploy if you need to- this is my game, but as time goes by I'm getting more niche and being a bit lazy on maintaining the generic stuff- but I'm 10+ years into contracting so it doesn't matter so much as for youngsters.

[Scruff]

@OP. You come across as a bit lazy with your spelling and grammar. Just because this is a forum, it doesn't preclude some attempt?

Gladiators never flinch at the first blow that draws blood. This is the First Rule in the Circus Maximus.

[WTFH]

28 days

Salary between 72-80k. Full time yes in networking

Sick pay for up to 20 days or so

Pension private healthcare ....


Still if you end up with 4k and in contracting wih 7 -8 k no brainer for me

So, 28 days paid holiday. 0 days paid holiday as a contractor. You don't work, you don't get paid.
Pension? You don't have an employer to pay into one of those when you're contracting.
Private healthcare? You don't have an employer to pay into one of those when you're contracting.
Needing to have built up funds to cover you while you look for a contract (a warchest)? Not really something a permanent employee worries about.


What don't you like about your current job?
Are you happy to travel to get work?
Do you have family/SO/children/pets?

[NotAllThere]

...
Still if you end up with 4k and in contracting wih 7 -8 k no brainer for me

Go for it then.