Reply to: Green grass (the life of a contractor?)

[d000hg]

most will bin your CV if the see Dr on it

nonsense

[cojak]

Cool, so when you say you work away is that abroad or London? I do all kinds of PM and also transformational work and consultancy too, but everything is in London!

It's the usual - London/Leeds/Bristol/Manchester.

I used to do a lot of work abroad but I don't take those contracts these days.

[Peter Loew]

I'm a Service Management BA.

Cool, so when you say you work away is that abroad or London? I do all kinds of PM and also transformational work and consultancy too, but everything is in London!

[cojak]

Interesting, what's your skillset, Cojak? I'd love to go for an 'way from home' contract but London has kept me contracting in it for around 8 years. Would love to try Europe.

I'm a Service Management BA.

[Peter Loew]

Thanks for all the posts. My skill set is HCI, usability; in complex systems. Market rates seem to be 4-600 a day in the area, from what I've seen.

Seems to be 400-600 p/d for most skillsets. As a PM, sometimes I earn more than my dev mates, sometimes they earn more.

[Peter Loew]

I've been contracting for over 13 years. I did have one 3 month contract where I could commute every day (1 hour 40mins on the train) a few years ago, but apart from that I've always had to work away from home.

But because of that I've rarely been out of contract.

Interesting, what's your skillset, Cojak? I'd love to go for an 'way from home' contract but London has kept me contracting in it for around 8 years. Would love to try Europe.

[ITPRO2]

Here's the deal. With a bunch of qualifications including a doctorate and 12 years industry experience I think I am ready for the contact world.

If i stay where I am I get good pay (currently £60k p/a) and a generous final salary pension. But it feels the 'safe' choice.

Safe is good, I have a family and dependencies.

Am I mad to even think about leaving this sweet setup. I'm 35 and I feel like I have to decide the rest of my career right now!

Anyone else go through this, any advice you can pass on.

Thanks. PG

You didn't say what industry you are in? IT, Engineering, etc?

For example, the oil and gas engineering industry is booming right now. Others are much quieter.

[PurpleGorilla]

Go for it, it's brilliant and if its not - go back perm, simples.....

That is my plan. To a T.

[Crossroads]

As Luke says... but I'd temper that with whether you would be able to get a similar permie role easily if you left.

I jumped head first into contracting a little over 10 years ago, leaving a 60k base/85k package permie role and actually took a minor pay cut overall at first. Now at 38 I could retire if I wished. It wouldn't be a great standard of living, but better than many and certainly enough to keep food on the table.

I did it because I believed in my ability and knew I could go back if it went wrong.

[lukemg]

Go for it, it's brilliant and if its not - go back perm, simples.....

[yasockie]

If i stay where I am I get good pay (currently £60k p/a) and a generous final salary pension. But it feels the 'safe' choice.

Safe is good, I have a family and dependencies.

I made the reverse choice recently - moved to a 'safe' permie job with a good pension plan and slowly winding down some of my contract work.
Money wise I was able to earn more on contract but it was harder.

[NickNick]

"Commutable" is a bit of a variable. Fine if you're in the London corner, where 70% of all contracts are to be found and you have a transport system that works. Not so fine if you prefer life in somewhere like Somerset...


That said, I'm at the point where I'm taking nothing that needs more than hour to get to, and preferably a lot less.

I'm down Somerset way.

[malvolio]

"Commutable" is a bit of a variable. Fine if you're in the London corner, where 70% of all contracts are to be found and you have a transport system that works. Not so fine if you prefer life in somewhere like Somerset...


That said, I'm at the point where I'm taking nothing that needs more than hour to get to, and preferably a lot less.

[SuPaStA]

I'm still a "newbie" in contracting terms, been doing it for three years now. Only had one contract which was barely "commutable" for 3 months and all my other contracts have been max 1hr30mins door 2 door since then. Though I guess it all depends where you are based (I'm in London).

Also I have not been a day without work, but maybe I'm just lucky.

[NickNick]

I've been contracting for over 13 years. I did have one 3 month contract where I could commute every day (1 hour 40mins on the train) a few years ago, but apart from that I've always had to work away from home.

But because of that I've rarely been out of contract.

I've been contracting 10 years and never once had to work away from home. All my contracts have been within commuting distance (1h15m being the longest).

And becuase of that I've never been out of contract.

I guess what I'm saying here is that it's swings and roundabouts.