Reply to: Starting out as contractor

[Shackattack]

More self serving Tory Lies

Hi thanks for your comments greatly appreciated. The contracting world across all industries generates a revenue of over a £billion pounds. Probably the reason HRMC wants a slice of it. I am proficient and qualified as programme manager and project manager with over 25 years experience across a broad spectrum of public sector change programmes.

Thanks for you input appreciated

HMRC don't want a slice of it,

HMRC get
Onward value to economy, reduced administration, reduced pension over head. Revenue when you finaly wind up your company and over course they already get there slice.

Companies get a
flexible work force, reduced over head, reduced admin, speed to market

Contractors
Get flexibility, pay into there own pension, have baron spells, no holiday pay

All in all you are slightly better off but with that comes, risks, stress, admin, quite periods, no holiday pay

The only reason the Tories want this is so the big 5 consultancies and tory donors don't have to compete with contractors.

To say we are disguised employees is absolute lies.

[SussexSeagull]

If I had a job I would sit where i was at the moment. One consideration is access to government schemes that might require you to have been in a job for a while.

Also projects and new hires are getting pulled at a rate of knots with no notice. When people on here used to say wait until you were sitting at your desk before thinking you had a contract it was a note of caution but now it is the new normal.

[Old Greg]

PWC were on a recruitment drive. They were one of three companies that I had interviews with/lined up for when I took my current job. Landscape may have changed in six months but I'd imagine that the decent consultancies still need niche specialists, probably even more so than junior Powerpoint bodyshoppers at the moment as clients get fussier.

I'd consider approaching consultancies directly (via LinkedIn) and explain that you're wary of the IR35 situation and feel that you'd be better positioned as a senior consultant in a large consultancy than principal consultant in a very small one.

I hear it is very tough with the big consultancies: pay freeze; promotion freeze; firing new joiners before their probation is up. It may be very hard to expect them to recruit, even for niche roles, given that larger scale redundancies may be in the pipeline. There will always be exceptions of course.

[nomadd]

Lots of La Faux roles to be declined for, just came on the market

Yep. Had my first agent email in quite a while yesterday: "Hey, Nomadd, I've a great role with an IB at the moment with a great rate; here's an out-of-date job spec. that will give you an idea of what they want. I need to move fast on this."

I emailed back immediately asking what the "great rate" actually was and when the correct job spec. could be supplied. Absolute silence has followed.

[PerfectStorm]

Lots of La Faux roles to be declined for, just came on the market

[Snarf]

Absolutely, I could not think of a better time to go contracting could you? All we are missing are a few in bound asteroids, ICBMs and perhaps Godzilla and we are all set for a fill your boots boom time for end of days contracting.

Top tip don't lose your contract, ever.

There might be a problem getting another one.

Personally, I'd like a few zombies too.

It's just not an apocalypse without a good zombie hoard.

[Snarf]

Hi I am considering starting out as programme or project manager on contracting basis. I wondered what those in the £billion pound industry think about the current climate of contracting. Is this still a wise choice considering IR35 and the changes proposed. Or would I be better taking up permanent position. any general advise or considered opinions are greatly appreciated

My dad is a contract program manager. 25+ years experience most of which is contracting in the defence industry.

It took him six months to land his current contract, mainly because of IR35 turmoil and now covid.

It's a really really bad time to be looking for roles, if you've got one offered already you might be ok as long as it's a nice long one, personally I wouldn't be jumping into contracting right now.

[LondonManc]

Any you would suggest?

PWC were on a recruitment drive. They were one of three companies that I had interviews with/lined up for when I took my current job. Landscape may have changed in six months but I'd imagine that the decent consultancies still need niche specialists, probably even more so than junior Powerpoint bodyshoppers at the moment as clients get fussier.

I'd consider approaching consultancies directly (via LinkedIn) and explain that you're wary of the IR35 situation and feel that you'd be better positioned as a senior consultant in a large consultancy than principal consultant in a very small one.

[BigJohn]

No concerns on ability to do the job (topped the tests, etc.).
Their understandable concern was why I wanted to go back perm and I actually didn't have to lie; I had simply had enough of working away and living out of a suitcase.

HR at both places I've worked (I moved on after 18 months in the first permie job) were light touch but politics were an issue at the first place (always look at Glassdoor before you take a permie job somewhere). I'd almost suggest taking a consultancy role to transition yourself back into permie more easily.

Any you would suggest?

[LondonManc]

What were their concerns?

And which parts did you dislike? (I know I would have some)

No concerns on ability to do the job (topped the tests, etc.).
Their understandable concern was why I wanted to go back perm and I actually didn't have to lie; I had simply had enough of working away and living out of a suitcase.

HR at both places I've worked (I moved on after 18 months in the first permie job) were light touch but politics were an issue at the first place (always look at Glassdoor before you take a permie job somewhere). I'd almost suggest taking a consultancy role to transition yourself back into permie more easily.

[PerfectStorm]

I transitioned from contractor to permie two years ago - even back then, there were major concerns about me using it as a stop-gap.

What were their concerns?

And which parts did you dislike? (I know I would have some)

[LondonManc]

Companies will take anyone who is open to the salary on offer, it's not like contracting is an option at the moment.

I transitioned from contractor to permie two years ago - even back then, there were major concerns about me using it as a stop-gap.

[Dhrucku]

Yet you're competing against actual permies - that will be one of the harder parts, even if you're better qualified. Most firms will be wary right now of taking contractors on in permie roles. I know I would be.

Companies will take anyone who is open to the salary on offer, it's not like contracting is an option at the moment.

[LondonManc]

I see better permanent roles at the moment compared to contracting / temporary work.

Yet you're competing against actual permies - that will be one of the harder parts, even if you're better qualified. Most firms will be wary right now of taking contractors on in permie roles. I know I would be.

[Dhrucku]

Where? Roles are on hold on the permie side because of the shutdown too.

I see better permanent roles at the moment compared to contracting / temporary work.