Reply to: Young permie self-delusion

[dezze]

I've done quite a bit of work at Govt offices, and quite a few have never even thought of contracting and consider their usually low wages to be pretty good. I does mean they can live at home, not worry about renewals, doing a good job to ensure staying on etc.

[RichardCranium]

Overheard two of the young 'Fast Trackers' chatting today.

When I need to go for a think, I put the kettle on. One of my little pleasures is making the tea / coffee for such people. Always fussing making sure I get them the right strength of tea, just the right amount of milk the way they like it and so on. They love the attention from a 'temp'.

Eventually they give you a little job: "Fetch me a bacon roll from the canteen would you?"

"Of course. What's your project code for me to charge my time to?"

The subsequent conversation is usually an eye-opener for them.

But before the week is out, I've introduced them to Jobserve and the PCG's First Timer's Guide.

The best part, though, is then telling them they'll need to save up six months salary - before tax - to cover the lean times BEFORE they start contracting.

"Oh well, if you've ploughed all your salary commitment into a mortgage, you'd better stay where you are. Never mind, eh?"

I like playing with their little minds.

[Xenophon]

Meanwhile the old dog raised one eyebrow, smiled to himself and let out a low contented growl. Let them find out for themselves.......

I like it, Alf.

[oracleslave]

To be fair, self-justicication is just as rife amongst contractors - we sometimes get carried away with the myth that we're the young entrepreneurial lifeblood of this country, business can't do without us, permie staff just can't cut it, we're worth the money etc.

Indeed. The level of "I’ve Upped My Income, Now Up Yours" thinking can be quite staggering at times.

It is kinda fun though

[TheBigYinJames]

Overheard two of the young 'Fast Trackers' chatting today.

To be fair, self-justicication is just as rife amongst contractors - we sometimes get carried away with the myth that we're the young entrepreneurial lifeblood of this country, business can't do without us, permie staff just can't cut it, we're worth the money etc.

Everybody enjoys bolstering their position in life (however erratic or accidental the journey there may have been) with a load of truisms which make them look good and everybody else a fool.

Permies have less money, so they pretend they don't care about money so much and that prestige in the company, power in the structure etc, is what drives them. Contractors have very little prestige, so tend to play it down as not important, and that money is really the most valuable thing to have.

As usual the truth is somewhere in between. Permies would love more money, contractors would love more influence in the company's they work in. But they take solace from the abundance of whatever it is they get for it.

[Chantho]

I can't stop thinking of the old Police song "don't stand so close to me" since seeing the title of this thread.

[sasguru]

It's sweet isn't it! Start hinting that there are important (but vague and undefined) strtegy visioning meetings going on off site. Look mildly surprised, yet indulgently kind when they let out that they are not in attendance.

Management material, I see

[bobhope]

I think you're being a little harsh here. I'm sure most of us here were as idealistic once. I count myself lucky (now, not at the time) that I got really screwed over in my first permie job. In a way, they did me a favour in educating me in the way that things really work.

The worrying thing is, I know people like that in their 30s and 40s who still believe that "the company will look after them, etc." and you just know that at age 50, they're going to be dropped like a stone.

[Sockpuppet]

'We're worth a fortune in this Talent Crunch'

'They've spent so much training us they'd never make US redundant'

'Contractors? They're just permies who couldn't cut it.'

I used to be like that. Ignorant and thought the company actually gave a tulip about me.

Now I'm a contractor earning the same in a day as I did in a week in pemie land. I'll quite happily be branded as someone that couldn't cut it for that.

[Old Greg]

It's sweet isn't it! Start hinting that there are important (but vague and undefined) strtegy visioning meetings going on off site. Look mildly surprised, yet indulgently kind when they let out that they are not in attendance.

[BlasterBates]

Don't destroy their blissful ignorance, not yet anyway

[chris79]

Were they recently out of Uni?

[oracleslave]

'We're worth a fortune in this Talent Crunch'

They sound like right tw@ts

[HermanDune]

What industry?

Were they Java developers?

[shoes]

Let them find out for themselves.......

Of course. Best to encourage this thinking if it is to be responded to at all. Were it not for saps like these working hard for reasons of percieved prestige rather than actual money their employers would have less money for contractors.

It's mugs that make the world go 'round.