Reply to: Working away from home

[Fred Bloggs]

Fed up and have taken a 'local' permie job - 60 miles from my home with the proviso that I can work from home - and they'll expense me for coming into the office when I need to!

Still some client site travel required but I can't argue with that

Big drop in income but I'm hoping its worth the sacrifice of being able to burn the suitcase (at least for a few years)

Not much scope for contracting around the north west with my skill set so was more than surprised to spot this role

Good luck with it. I am from the NW too. The last 18 months has been dire in process engineering so I have been in Surrey. The last few weeks have seen a big increase in work available in the NW so I have managed to get an 18 to 24 month role just South of Manchester.

[Billy Pilgrim]

Fed up and have taken a 'local' permie job - 60 miles from my home with the proviso that I can work from home - and they'll expense me for coming into the office when I need to!

Still some client site travel required but I can't argue with that

Big drop in income but I'm hoping its worth the sacrifice of being able to burn the suitcase (at least for a few years)

Not much scope for contracting around the north west with my skill set so was more than surprised to spot this role

[psychocandy]

Must admit never done the away from home thing. I know that if I was ever forced to do it that I would absolutely hate it.

Saying that though, I had a two year stint contracting about 10-12 years ago, and have just started again now. Luckily, my current gig is 8 miles from home.

I live in South Wales so not the most prosperous part of the country - LOL. But Bristol is close by and theres always stuff there.

To be honest, I've been made redundant 4 times in the last 10 years, and always found another permie job (or in this case, contract) within a few weeks each time.

If I was ever struggling I did think that commuting to London/Thames valley by train every day 'might' be doable. Under 2 hours by train - not ideal but not TOO expensive with season ticket. I know there are people who do this for permie jobs so Im sure I could do it for a short contract....

[scooterscot]

Managed it for about 3-4 years before saying no. No more.

Contracting just over 10 years now. The family moves when I do.

[scot]

I've worked abroad a fair amount of time, 5 years in Brussels for one and I am about to go abroad again. Sure its not nice being away from family
etc but its all about working for a better quality of life for when you are home and when you will come back for good.

My experience is that abroad you will be treated with far greater respect and wont be forced into slave labour and its up to you to sell yourself
sufficiently to make it financially worthwhile.

My skillset means that local jobs are hard to get and I've moved around a fair but to compensate, now we are back home living in the country so
weekends and holidays have a very good quality and friends and family can visit and enjoy the place I am in as well.

If you choose to stay in a dingy hotel watching foreign telly then fine, i for one loved Belgium and Luxembourg and made the most of being there
and will do in my next place.

If you have to go , make it worthwhile is what I say.

[northernladuk]

Sadly me and my family are used to it.
But I do take a lot of holidays and I only stay away 3 nights.
I'm well into my second year at clientoco and have just signed up for another 7 months.

I do happen to love what I do and am enjoying this project immensely - which helps a great deal

Sorry to hijack the thread but what did you do about the 24 months rule in the end?

[Pogle]

Sadly me and my family are used to it.
But I do take a lot of holidays and I only stay away 3 nights.
I'm well into my second year at clientoco and have just signed up for another 7 months.

I do happen to love what I do and am enjoying this project immensely - which helps a great deal

[Project Monkey]

I've been away for the last 10 months. Don't have a problem whilst I'm away, but its the lack of time at home I struggle with. Its the little things you would normally do in the evenings that you don't have time to do at weekends.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Working away from home is an occupational hazard in contracting. I used to live in the west country and got a contract in Kent. I then moved to Essex, and, naturally, my first contract after the move was in Somerset.

I never really liked it, but I found ways of making it bearable. Family run hotels, or lodging with decent folk. I never had an issue with eating alone, since there were always other contractors on site.

For the past five years I've been 20 minutes from home, at a premium rate. Long may it continue!

Good on you. I am hoping I can manage 5 years locally. If so, I can really start to think of plan B and relax financially. At the moment I am in suspended animation trying to build up that warchest.

[NotAllThere]

Working away from home is an occupational hazard in contracting. I used to live in the west country and got a contract in Kent. I then moved to Essex, and, naturally, my first contract after the move was in Somerset.

I never really liked it, but I found ways of making it bearable. Family run hotels, or lodging with decent folk. I never had an issue with eating alone, since there were always other contractors on site.

For the past five years I've been 20 minutes from home, at a premium rate. Long may it continue!

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

As I have said in all my previous threads, I commuted long distances for all my previous contracts. I finally managed to get 2 offers locally (one ridiculously close). I accepted the one a bit further down the road and I can't explain how my life has changed. I used to suffer as a permie because of the financial side and boredom. Work and finance has been much better since I went contracting but my life has taken a hit due to spending half the time commuting. Now I have managed to get both right (better work and working close means better quality of life). I just hope this lasts for as long as possible to give me the warchest to sustain a decent holiday and then return to wait for another local gig.

[kingcook]

I live in the NW, currently doing a local part-time gig in my home town. It's great.

I have done the live away from home thing last year, and have a new gig lined up starting in 2 months time, which will mean living away from the family in the London area Monday to Friday for 6 months, but the money is good, and when it's over i get to have many many many months off, doing something i always wanted to do (long to trip to Australia to visit family).

Yes it's a PITA, but try to look at the bright side!! If i was in a permie role i'd never get the chance to have the time off and visit Oz.

Still working on plan B (and C) in the meantime.

[Fred Bloggs]

Good luck securing a local gig. I have been very fortunate lately since the last ~18 months has been truly dire in the NW (hence working in Surrey). However, in the last 6 weeks or so, there has been a huge upswing in opportunities here due in the main to two large and several smaller projects all starting at the same time. The turn round has been quite remarkable and I am looking forward now to about two years local work.

[downsouth]

yep, tolerence is decreasing with time. Been on the road for 7 years to be honest and this will be my last contract that requires me to be away from home all week.

bored of hotels, eating out alone every night, renting rooms from numpties etc

what makes it worse is that a lappy and remote access are standard issue at current gig but mgmnt take a dislike to working from home, typical permie b0llox of your bum aint on a seat in the office means you aint doing any work!

Some clients just dont understand the work/life balance cos they get to go home at night etc

dont might daily commute on train as atleast i'll be home at night

[Fred Bloggs]

I have been weekly commuting to Surrey since March 2010. Current gig ends in a couple of weeks time and I have a new one lined up to follow on in Manchester. The new role is on about 55% of my current rate but I have to say, I think I will be glad to see the end of my current gig. It is hard working away, suit some folks more than others. My tolerance is getting lower with age.