Reply to: Dilemma, what would you do?

[PermMCCon]

Completely agree with the above. However if someone can't make up his or her own mind, then I think advising on the conservative side is for the best.

I don't see the issue either - contractor comes asking for advice.

Its basically the 2 usual options:

- Safer (but lower day rate) contract. Comfy, knows the people, good environment etc etc

- TBC role but doing well at interviews, much higher rate £££ and difficult to get away from the dollar signs. Plus nearer home

Not surprisingly, the advice here will differ on your risk appetite and life experience. Some will say number 1 straight away, while others will go number 2 every time.

Its a healthy debate, you need to be able to see both sides.

I hope the interviews went well and they got the number 2 role.

[fidot]

Kind of strange responses here. Since when did contractors become so risk averse?

We all decided to take on risk when we went into business for ourselves. This is perhaps a bigger risk than some of us have taken, and it obviously can go too far, but if we're going to live by bird in hand and not be willing to take a risk to further our business, then maybe we really are just a bunch of permies in contractor guise who ought to be inside IR35.

I wouldn't be quick to advise someone to take the risk, but I certainly wouldn't advise him not to, either.

As always, you assess the likelihood of the risk, the cost of what you are giving up, and how you value the reward if it works out. You assess both monetary and non-monetary factors, and decide if the risk is worth it to you. There's no way you can know whether it will pay off, there's no way you can know all the factors, there's no way you can fully assess the risk. There's certainly no way any of us can know what you value the most.

You get as much information as you can, you balance it all, and then you make a decision. Once made, you don't look back. Whether it works or not, you made the best decision you knew at the time, you live with it and go on. You might learn from it as you discover things you didn't consider, that can factor into future decisions, but you don't try to relive it or undo it. Waste of time, no one has a time machine to go back and change the past.

Completely agree with the above. However if someone can't make up his or her own mind, then I think advising on the conservative side is for the best.

[BrilloPad]

Kind of strange responses here. Since when did contractors become so risk averse?

The market has been bad the last couple of years. With Brexit it could get worse due to uncertainty.

We all have to take the advice we want to hear.

[WordIsBond]

Kind of strange responses here. Since when did contractors become so risk averse?

We all decided to take on risk when we went into business for ourselves. This is perhaps a bigger risk than some of us have taken, and it obviously can go too far, but if we're going to live by bird in hand and not be willing to take a risk to further our business, then maybe we really are just a bunch of permies in contractor guise who ought to be inside IR35.

I wouldn't be quick to advise someone to take the risk, but I certainly wouldn't advise him not to, either.

As always, you assess the likelihood of the risk, the cost of what you are giving up, and how you value the reward if it works out. You assess both monetary and non-monetary factors, and decide if the risk is worth it to you. There's no way you can know whether it will pay off, there's no way you can know all the factors, there's no way you can fully assess the risk. There's certainly no way any of us can know what you value the most.

You get as much information as you can, you balance it all, and then you make a decision. Once made, you don't look back. Whether it works or not, you made the best decision you knew at the time, you live with it and go on. You might learn from it as you discover things you didn't consider, that can factor into future decisions, but you don't try to relive it or undo it. Waste of time, no one has a time machine to go back and change the past.

[PermMCCon]

Okay lots of interesting replies.

I have decided that taking a risk is the only way to taste success, so turned down the first offer, agency is not pleased at all. Will tackle the interview and see where it goes. If this gamble does not pay off, i will be humbled and might have to resort to desperate measures. I have nothing else in the bag

Well,

In that case, all this forum can do is wish you best of luck. I really do hope it works out for you.

But unfortunately I agree with all the guys here, with the cut throat market the way it is at the moment, a nice gig where you know the people and (fairly) confident its long term ish is no bad thing, even at 85 miles.

But you are right, you have to "risk it for a biscuit" sometimes, but it does worry me in this market giving up a nice solid role for a bank role that you haven't even got yet...

Do keep us posted and enjoy contracting

[SlipTheJab]

ee ough dares wins Rodney , this time next yr...

[psychocandy]

The JSA hotline helped...

BP mun. Don't feed the animals! lol. :-)

[BrilloPad]

You managed to do all that by yourself?

The JSA hotline helped...

[northernladuk]

E.g. Just phoned up to book an MRI scan. Cancellation 440 tomorrow - its about 20 mins drive from current gig. Job done.

You managed to do all that by yourself?

[psychocandy]

Hmm, 85 mile commute. If it was me then this would come into it.

Last gig was 60 miles away. I gave up driving - it was too much. Even getting the train (which was 90 mins door to door) I felt it was slowly killing me. And, of course, its got a large effect on your personal life. Its amazing the difference it makes.

E.g. Just phoned up to book an MRI scan. Cancellation 440 tomorrow - its about 20 mins drive from current gig. Job done. No way could I have done this easily with last gig - Id have pretty much have to have left the office at 2 to 2.30 pm.

[pauldee]

A bird in the hand and that...

That's the rule I live by. Anything could happen to the second job. Management could pull the budget at the last minute for example. Or maybe by saying you're taking the first one it will put the second into action, not promising though.

[ChimpMaster]

Okay lots of interesting replies.

I have decided that taking a risk is the only way to taste success, so turned down the first offer, agency is not pleased at all. Will tackle the interview and see where it goes. If this gamble does not pay off, i will be humbled and might have to resort to desperate measures. I have nothing else in the bag

Isn't there a lot of chatter about banks making cut backs? How do you know this specific role will be immune?

[fullyautomatix]

Okay lots of interesting replies.

I have decided that taking a risk is the only way to taste success, so turned down the first offer, agency is not pleased at all. Will tackle the interview and see where it goes. If this gamble does not pay off, i will be humbled and might have to resort to desperate measures. I have nothing else in the bag

[SueEllen]

BP makes a good point onboarding could take weeks, Banks are constantly culling people, and in some banks you can end up stressed out introducing features at break neck speed and sorting out all the inevitable problems.

I would tend to go with your mates at the consultancy.

Some people need to experience it themselves.

[BlasterBates]

BP makes a good point onboarding could take weeks, Banks are constantly culling people, and in some banks you can end up stressed out introducing features at break neck speed and sorting out all the inevitable problems.

I would tend to go with your mates at the consultancy.