Reply to: Contract vs Permanent Opportunity

[TykeMerc]

I recently came across a permanent role with the following terms:

Probationary period: 3 months
Notice period during probationary period: 1 week either side.
Notice period after the probationary period: one month either side.

Such terms do not appear to provide job security.

The only difference between a contract and permanent role appears to be salary. The only reason a contractor may consider permanent role appears to be non-availability of contracts.

Not at all, as contractors we take a specific set of additional risks and give up the rights to some benefits.

Risks
Client can give us notice at any time for whatever reason (or no reason)
When the project is completed the client has no obligation to find us new work, we are out of the door
When no work available, no pay
If sick, no pay
If on holiday, no pay
Training time = cost and no pay
Responsibility for our tax affairs, no HR or payroll section to protect us from big bad HMRC (ok many of us see this as a plus, but it's a risk)
There are loads more, I just can't be bothered to work them out and write them down

Benefits of being perm
Company finds work, if it's quiet company still pays
Holiday pay including public holidays
Sick pay
Maternity/Paternity pay
Redundancy rights
Training paid for and paid while training
Pension rights
Can't just be sacked for no reason, in fact it's rather hard to sack a permie even in probation period
There are loads more, I just can't be bothered to work them out and write them down

There are many reasons why contractors work as contractors rather than permies, cash is just one of them.

[Charles Foster Kane]

I recently came across a permanent role with the following terms:

Probationary period: 3 months
Notice period during probationary period: 1 week either side.
Notice period after the probationary period: one month either side.

Such terms do not appear to provide job security.

The only difference between a contract and permanent role appears to be salary. The only reason a contractor may consider permanent role appears to be non-availability of contracts.

Not really, some types of jobs only come in a 'permanent' flavour.

[Ashwin2007]

Do you *really* need MORE security in your already incredibly safe life? Would your life really be ruined if you went without work for a month or two (or 6)?

Back yourself man, take the risk, enjoy the uncertainty.

I recently came across a permanent role with the following terms:

Probationary period: 3 months
Notice period during probationary period: 1 week either side.
Notice period after the probationary period: one month either side.

Such terms do not appear to provide job security.

The only difference between a contract and permanent role appears to be salary. The only reason a contractor may consider permanent role appears to be non-availability of contracts.

[Stan.goodvibes]

Don't do it. Don't go to the dark side. You became a contractor for a number of reasons, one of those must surely have been because you were prepared to have a little risk in your life (unlike the permies).

Sure - take that permy job 'just for a while'. Settle into that permy-suburban-2.4 children-pebbledashed-terraced-dreamcastle lifestyle 'just for a while'. Lie down in this little wooden box 'just for a while'.... Once you take that first step into permyland its all over, you may as well just stock up the freezer with Vienetta for those Sunday afternoon teas with the in-laws right now...

Jeez, its not like we work all day with high explosives or spaceships or fire hoses - it's just I.T. - Contracting is about the only way to inject a *small* modicum of cool and excitement into our chosen career path. Do you *really* need MORE security in your already incredibly safe life? Would your life really be ruined if you went without work for a month or two (or 6)?

Back yourself man, take the risk, enjoy the uncertainty.

[mailric]

Yea, go permie.
Try and get somehwere that still has a clocking in and out machine.
Oh, and make sure you sign up for the grreat pension scheme.
And get involved in the Social Accountability ventures so you can read to the local thick kids.
Oh, and don't forget the holiday chart, make sure they have a good holiday chart so no more than 3 people are off at any one time or else the world ends.
And of course the Performance Development Programme - this time next year you could be a higher graded ***** than you are now....



WAKE UP MAN! DON'T DO IT.

edit: ok, so calling you a **** wasnt nice. i'm just trying to make a point here. you see?

[mailric]

personally I have just taken the plunge back into contracting again.

I went permanent 8 years ago when the industry went into recession,
and now its just got back out.

[NotAllThere]

As a permie myself my work objectives are as follows:

Taking out my clients, taking out my contractors, attempting to justify the resultant expense claim

But wouldn't it be better to be the one in charge - then you only have to justify your expenses to HMRC.

And you get to live off the labour of the poor saps in your employ.

[Another Dodgy Agent]

Not to mention 'setting your work objectives' 'PDP's' and other such sh ite.

As a permie myself my work objectives are as follows:

Taking out my clients, taking out my contractors, attempting to justify the resultant expense claim

[BolshieBastard]

Yeah, like appraisals. *shudder*

Not to mention 'setting your work objectives' 'PDP's' and other such sh ite.

[NotAllThere]

Perm's great, think of all the benefits!

Yeah, like appraisals. *shudder*

[Another Dodgy Agent]

Simple. Under no circumstances go permie.

I've been offered (and turned down) a permanent position twice in my current contract, and it's been running nearly three years now.

Perm's great, think of all the benefits!

[NotAllThere]

Simple. Under no circumstances go permie.

I've been offered (and turned down) a permanent position twice in my current contract, and it's been running nearly three years now.

[BolshieBastard]

Permie? Never.

But then again, I always make provision for being out of work for anything up to a year instead of frittering it away on round the world holidays, porsche's etc, etc.

[Another Dodgy Agent]

Thanks for the comments back, appreciate 'what would you do' questions can be quite vague yet situation specific, but useful to have some pointers.

To respond to some of the queries;

*If I don't accept the permanent role I will be kept on until a replacement is chosen, so could be 2 weeks, could be 2 months.

* I am reluctant to walk as I am on a tidy number here and want to pad out as long as possible on contract

*I do have a fair amount a rainy day funds to fall back on

* However, there is a slight nuggle to go for security but which is balanced out against the independence freelancing brings.

For what it's worth I would take the perm role and then start looking again in the New Year. That way you provide yourself with a reasonable degree of security over the next few months, Xmas etc. to enable you to better gauge how the ongoing economic climate is progressing, you maintain your "rainy day" fund without have to eat into it, presumably can get your client to train on anything new coming up - ITIL etc. plus you gain the bonus of continuing to work in your current environment.

[kaiser78]

Thanks for the comments back, appreciate 'what would you do' questions can be quite vague yet situation specific, but useful to have some pointers.

To respond to some of the queries;

*If I don't accept the permanent role I will be kept on until a replacement is chosen, so could be 2 weeks, could be 2 months.

* I am reluctant to walk as I am on a tidy number here and want to pad out as long as possible on contract

*I do have a fair amount a rainy day funds to fall back on

* However, there is a slight nuggle to go for security but which is balanced out against the independence freelancing brings.