Reply to: How Much To Go Perm?

[bobhope]

It doesn't really matter how much does it? As soon as the market turns up again, you'd be out of there surely?

[bodnobal]

Once a contractor always a contractor.

In hard times fall back on rainy day money, that is for those of you that put some rainy day money away.

And let's face it employers don't employ ex-contractors anyway, once the economy pick up, where did he/she go...

[Francko]

I never saw a Dilbert environment despite working in Banking and government-related projects. I've only ever worked for dedicated software companies though, and the largest had maybe 150 coders. Maybe huge companies get worse, or companies needing software but it's not their main area are worse, or maybe I was just lucky.

I worked quite in many offices and areas and I have seen good and bad environments and also contractors who were more into politics and permie habbits than many other permies in other places. What strikes me is the need for feeling the belong to a different category. We don't. We all make a choice for money and lifestyle, in many cases a permie offer is a better than a contract one. I don't see why a stigma should be attached to those who make longer term calculation and don't consider anything beyond their monthly bank balance. How many contractors do invoice for less than 100k a year? How many permies do earn almost or more than 100k a year? Sure with a bit more taxes but at least you are not hassled by the tax office every now and then. How many contractors can really go and take holidays whenever they feel? I know many permies who can do that. This is not to say that one is better than the other. Give me a choice and after my calculation I'll tell you what's best for me. All the other considerations are just bulltuliping or ego-inflating techniques.

So in answer to your original question.... it depends. You are asking something like how many apples would you get?... you should have asked how many apples would you be offered to change them for a certain number of pears...

[d000hg]

I would take a permie job if any existed outside of the dilbert universe. I have never ever seen or heard of any company where a dilbert existence is not absolutely guaranteed.

At least when contracting I can laugh at it whilst making good money, and I know it's not forever.

Given the choice of unemployment or dilbert employment, I'll take unemployment.

I never saw a Dilbert environment despite working in Banking and government-related projects. I've only ever worked for dedicated software companies though, and the largest had maybe 150 coders. Maybe huge companies get worse, or companies needing software but it's not their main area are worse, or maybe I was just lucky.

[basshead]

Maybe I have missed the point of the forum but I'm sitting here wondering why no one has answered the question!

Answering the question is in a long queue behind more important things that need to go into a CUK post such as:

1) Trying to look clever
2) Pointing out spelling mistakes
3) Having a go at the poster
4) Doom
5) Boom
6) AndyW

and so on.

[shoes]

I would take a permie job if any existed outside of the dilbert universe. I have never ever seen or heard of any company where a dilbert existence is not absolutely guaranteed.

At least when contracting I can laugh at it whilst making good money, and I know it's not forever.

Given the choice of unemployment or dilbert employment, I'll take unemployment.

[TheFaQQer]

£75k+ basic + package.

[minestrone]

I would do the same as mitch, something else rather than go permie. I am a trained butcher and would rather do that for 15 grand a year than a crappy permie job working for some Bill Lumbergh type.

[xux42]

Maybe I have missed the point of the forum but I'm sitting here wondering why no one has answered the question!

35K for a 4 day/28hour week + Non-contrib pension + Family BUPA + 24 days holiday + 30min commute to secure on-site parking + 4 months salary redundancy entitlement.

[zara_backdog]

I admit I'm strange, but if I was ever to get a permie role it would be because I had a nice little job, just down the road from where I live on flexi time, the money would come in after this. Somehow I do not think that will ever happen.

So, I accept the commute to where I work, the handling of my own financial affairs and all the hassle of dealing with agents and hope to remain my number one employee.

[BrilloPad]

I want to arn what andyw earns.

[Bagpuss]

...what Basic would you look for to go Perm right now?.....

Deirdrie Barlow or Kevin Keegan Perm?

[Liability]

I don't see contracting as a badge of achievement, it's a means to an end (earning a decent living) and I simply don't understand why people make a fuss about it, there are plus and minus points to contracting.

Agree - alll this "separates men from the boys" stuff is odd to say the least. I just do it for Money - no other reason.

[TykeMerc]

That's the Acid Test isn't it ?

I think it's times like these we get to see who the contractors really are ...!

I don't see contracting as a badge of achievement, it's a means to an end (earning a decent living) and I simply don't understand why people make a fuss about it, there are plus and minus points to contracting.

[moorfield]

for those that have said NEVER - do you really mean this? I mean lets say for a minute tulip REALLY gets bad over the next 3-6 months - at what stage do you cut your nose off?

That's the Acid Test isn't it ?

I think it's times like these we get to see who the contractors really are ...!