Advice, moving from permanent to contract

[quackhandle]

Either you contracting do "yes" or contracting do "no." You contracting do "guess so..."

Squish!




qh miyagi

[slogger]

go for it but research first

also definitely get yourself a buffer - would recommend 6 months living expenses in this market.
when i went from permy to contracting many moons ago I basically applied for 10 contracts - felt if I didnt get any offers then to stay where I was until I got better or learnt a more marketable skill - fortunately (lucky!) I got offered all 10 - however this was in the 90's when the market was a lot better - now I'd be happy if could see 10 suitable contracts being advertised in a day .. I'm finding now though that the gap between permy and contract is minimal - not worth it from a financial perspective, but definitely from a lifestyle perspective!

[blakeyuk]

Hi,

I've just started contracting last week. It took me 3 months to get the job (ironically, it was the second place I send my CV into, through a personal contact - the hiring manager - and that's how long it took). But I'd approached my permie manager, told them what I was doing, asked for a 2 week notice period as I knew 4 weeks would mean a much longer hunt for a job, and they agreed. In the end, I did actually give 4 weeks, as the notice period fell over my already-planned holiday, so I pushed back to the new client and they agreed to 4 weeks (probably because it had already taken them 2 months at that point to make the offer).

It's a 6 month contract, which gets me over Xmas if it goes all the way, and likely to extend based on volume of work etc.

So my point is - try to get a shorter notice period; be prepared to wait.

Andy

[Murder1]

I've found agencies don't entertain you unless you're either:

- already quit and in notice period
- being made redundant.

I tried going contracting a while back (when I was permie) and said I have a 2 week notice period.

Agents just weren't interested (even though I know clients will wait) but as soon as I was being made redundant - they were circulating over me like vultures.

Two reasons:

1. Their assumption is that you'll be panicking at being made redundant and therefore likely to take anything for less than the market rate.
2. There's a good chance that your current client will not enforce a notice period if you're being made redundant and therefore you're available to start a lot earlier.

[chineseJohn]

I've found agencies don't entertain you unless you're either:

- already quit and in notice period
- being made redundant.

I tried going contracting a while back (when I was permie) and said I have a 2 week notice period.

Agents just weren't interested (even though I know clients will wait) but as soon as I was being made redundant - they were circulating over me like vultures.

[Murder1]

Eh? Oh I see - permie holidays....not contractor "holidays"

Absolutely, I don't do holidays now......there are just certain days I'm not working

[Sausage Surprise]

I did it with one kid and I was terrified, the key was to have a buffer of 3+ months as a minimum in case things go pear-shaped. You have to be brutally honest in both your skillset, how likely you are to keep getting contracts and the rate you expect to earn as it's not just you at risk here.

I then stockpiled holiday so that a 4 week notice period was actually 2 weeks and began looking and I was lucky that a couple of places were happy to wait a couple of weeks for someone to start. In truth it takes at least a week to get a contract out/signed/returned etc so quite a few places find 2 weeks manageable. Be careful however as some places try and insist you work the full 4 weeks and pay you for the 2 weeks you've stored as holiday hoping this will stop you from leaving.

As NLUK said there's plenty of threads on here from previous posters who have either contemplated the same or managed to do it.

Good luck

Eh? Oh I see - permie holidays....not contractor "holidays"

[kevpuk]

I left permie~dom with a 4-week notice period - client was prepared to wait.
I guess it comes down to individual circumstances - some will want that instant, flexible resource whereas others - particularly if you are a perfect fit and valued skillset - will be prepared to wait.
Best to just be up-front with all concerned (i.e. Agents, client and so forth) about your notice period and go from there - for me, some gigs were instantly ruled out, but others progressed.......
YMMV

[Scrag Meister]

Warchest all the way.

When I switched I was in the fortunate position of being single and having just been given £20k by my grandmother, major motivator.

Took 3 months before I started my first contract.

I have never had a client complain about 1 months notice.

Just make sure you are in a position to support yourself and family while looking, but I would start looking while employed, i.e. try to avoid leaving and looking.

GL.

[Murder1]

Hi all, I'm a .NET developer and was contracting for a few years until the recession hit in 2008 and I kind of panicked and took the offer of full time at the place where I was at. I have since moved on into another role but the nagging of "you're not finished contracting" always haunts me.

So my question is, anyone any advice? Would you quit your job and then look? (seems a frightening prospect with 2 kids) Anyone have any experience of finding a contract but then being able to work their 4 week notice?

Any help greatly appreciated

I did it with one kid and I was terrified, the key was to have a buffer of 3+ months as a minimum in case things go pear-shaped. You have to be brutally honest in both your skillset, how likely you are to keep getting contracts and the rate you expect to earn as it's not just you at risk here.

I then stockpiled holiday so that a 4 week notice period was actually 2 weeks and began looking and I was lucky that a couple of places were happy to wait a couple of weeks for someone to start. In truth it takes at least a week to get a contract out/signed/returned etc so quite a few places find 2 weeks manageable. Be careful however as some places try and insist you work the full 4 weeks and pay you for the 2 weeks you've stored as holiday hoping this will stop you from leaving.

As NLUK said there's plenty of threads on here from previous posters who have either contemplated the same or managed to do it.

Good luck

[northernladuk]

Have a go at searching. The method is detailed in the Welcome/FAQ's where, by strange coincidence you will find a ton of threads from newbies asking how to quit and start contracting...

Once you have read all those use the search to find Permanent to contract and you will find reams of useful information.

[amcdonald]

There's no right or wrong answer, but if you do it build up a warchest first before you make that jump.

Have enough money that you don't have to work for six months as a minimum, then whatever happens you can survive it.

If you keep on getting work then well you'll be loaded

[benh2013]

Hi all, I'm a .NET developer and was contracting for a few years until the recession hit in 2008 and I kind of panicked and took the offer of full time at the place where I was at. I have since moved on into another role but the nagging of "you're not finished contracting" always haunts me.

So my question is, anyone any advice? Would you quit your job and then look? (seems a frightening prospect with 2 kids) Anyone have any experience of finding a contract but then being able to work their 4 week notice?

Any help greatly appreciated