Reply to: Will you go back to full time employment to enrich your skills portfolio ?

[SueEllen]

A training or certification with no applied experience seems useless to me, isn't it ?

Some of us make sure any training or certificates are in skills complementary to our main skill.

This enables us to use the new skill with an existing or new client.

[zerointeractive]

no I probably wouldn't go permie to get a new skillset. I'd pay for the training / certifications myself.

A training or certification with no applied experience seems useless to me, isn't it ?

[DaveB]

whats the problem with that ?

I have been contracting for 3 years at the same client (big bank in canary wharf). I akways prefer to do long term contracts rather then a few months here and there

why do people think that contractors have to keep moving like gypsies move campsites

15 months permie, not contractor. As SueEllen said, long enough to have to deal with performance reviews and HR.

I did the same, went permie for 2 years when contract work dried up at the start of the recession. As it happened I ended up being made redundant, just after the annual bonuses got paid and with a nice fat payoff to boot. Started a new contract gig the following Monday and not been out of work since

Personally I get bored stupid after 12-18 months in one place and start looking to move just for some variety. Longest I've stuck it in one place is 2 years (contract or permie).

Getting back on topic, no I probably wouldn't go permie to get a new skillset. I'd pay for the training / certifications myself. The only thing I'd consider it for would be: a. The warchest was empty or b. I was in danger of losing my security clearance. Either way it would only be for as long as it took to get a new contract.

[DeludedAussie]

Edited to say: Long enough for you to have a performance review and have interaction with Human Remains.

whats the problem with that ?

I have been contracting for 3 years at the same client (big bank in canary wharf). I akways prefer to do long term contracts rather then a few months here and there

why do people think that contractors have to keep moving like gypsies move campsites

[SueEllen]

About 15 months

Edited to say: Long enough for you to have a performance review and have interaction with Human Remains.

[JoJoGabor]

About 15 months

[zerointeractive]

I did it in 2008 for two reasons, to see me through the impending recession and to get new skills. Those new skills allowed me to come back to contracting with a significant increase in day rate

How long did you stay as permie ?

[JoJoGabor]

I did it in 2008 for two reasons, to see me through the impending recession and to get new skills. Those new skills allowed me to come back to contracting with a significant increase in day rate

[Malcolm Buggeridge]

In answer to the OP, no.

For a start you'd have to put in a minimum of 18 months - 2 years to make the stint look credible on your CV. Im not prepared to invest that amount of time if I'm going to take a big hit on income.

[mos]

Don't worry, the rest of us will take up the slack.

[sirja]

This is something I've been thinking about. My field is coming under a lot of pressure from cloud based alternatives. If I could get a senior perm role with cross training into these new platforms it's indeed something I would consider.

[zerointeractive]

I would go perm just to get out of that sector. Sounds like a potential IR35 disaster, maybe not now but later.

Is Public Administration that terrible ? Well, I know by experience.. but would love to read your opinion on the matter. And why IR35 disaster ?

[bobspud]

Down to your own outlook and your sector volatility, but every time I look at my rate then take taxation into account and all the hassle of HR I generally say screw it! I have never been one for course based learning as I get bored easily and from what I have seen of my permanent friends, they are as rare as hens teeth anyway.

But you never know your well earned skills outside the ranks might make your career rise easier of you jump back in...

[northernladuk]

FTFY...

Utter bollocks. Some business you are if that is as blinkered as you are to different opportunities.

[northernladuk]

- stay were I am until the end of my days (going nuts because of a boring project)
- leave for an employed salary with training in a valuable skill that you can get end to end contracts for years to come

You are not looking at the right factors. There is more to leaving than an employed salary. You will never make a decision on those two factors