Reply to: Never say never

[Mich the Tester]

Am getting fed up with the current commute....

Having a BV in NL really just isn't worth it as you don't make as much as you would in the UK when you consider the overheads and the admin.

So considering my options atm....

NL's tax system used to be great for contractors. It's quickly going downhill and I don't see that changing as the gummint seems to need ever more money to pay for more and more decadent crap.

[norrahe]

Try Germany, as far as I can see its pretty good and as you're living in Holland you can commute...

Am getting fed up with the current commute....

Having a BV in NL really just isn't worth it as you don't make as much as you would in the UK when you consider the overheads and the admin.

So considering my options atm....

[KentPhilip]

OP is a bottler.

aye, he'll be know as Mich the Quitter now..

[EternalOptimist]

oh dear, sfincter uitloper

break a leg

[NickFitz]

Best of luck

You'll be back...

[MarillionFan]

OP is a bottler.

[mudskipper]

Well, we know you're not too fussy.

[darmstadt]

Market in NL is pretty crap for interim, along with worsening tax rules, its not worth it.

Try Germany, as far as I can see its pretty good and as you're living in Holland you can commute...

[darmstadt]

Go for it Mich. If I too, were offered a decent permie job I would probably take it now. I've been contracting since the 80's (with some permie stints as well but never lasting long) and sometimes feel that a lot of the hassle is just not worth it. I've been in this contract now for 3 years and starting to feel a bit permie like but without some of the benefits. Unlike Mich I'm quite lucks as although I'm not in a niche area, its getting more and more difficult to find people to do what I do so finding projects is not too difficult, its just picking the correct one. I have an interview on Friday for one which is only 30 minutes way from home, the last 7+ years have been spent in hotels, so hopefully that will be a good one and I know people who have been there for over 5 years now. You start getting to that age, and point in life, where the travel, searching for contracts, dealing with ****wit agents, etc. are just not worth it and maybe just a simple, well paying job is all you really want...

[Gibbon]

I said I'd never do it. Wild horses couldn't drag me back to permiedoom. But I've had such a good offer that I'm taking it, and in a few weeks time I shall be handing in my contractor badge and going to the dark side. The offer is very good; my salary, bonus and pension/car/health insurance/expenses/education and training package is actually worth quite a bit more than I can earn as a contract tester, and there are shares involved.

Why am I doing it?

Firstly, it's a very good offer at a company where there are people I know and respect.

Secondly, I think contracting is fooked at least for the medium term. Rates have fallen and there's no room to negotiate rates at the big corporates with their PSLs, while many smaller clients in NL have a reputation for being very nice and fun until the time to pay the invoice comes along. My rate has wobbled up and down, but peaked in 2008 before the credit crunchie crisis that continues to bore us today, contracts are shorter and it's more and more difficult to get enough work to pay myself the kind of salary the permieco are offering.

Thirdly, our wonderful government is taking away some of the tax advantages that the self-employed enjoy, because just as any other government, they want to carry on spending more than the taxpayer can raise. I've had enough of their bureaucracy and if I have to pay as much tax as a permie, then I may as well be a permie and get some benefits if I end up unemployed or sick.

Fourth, it's becoming more difficult to run a one man business as a craftsman and I'm not a businessman; I'm a craftsman and I want someone else to do all the businessy stuff.

Fifth; it's no fun anymore and I want to go home every evening.

So there you have it; I'm going permie.

Very very disappointed, I'm of the opinion that this site should introduce some sort of distinguishing feature to mark out all the permies taking over this site, either that or change name to 'hasbeenacontractoruk'

[DS23]

yes, but you like dressing up and climbing palaces. not for everyone.

[BrilloPad]

personally I quite like being a permie.

[DS23]

good luck. nothing wrong with making the right decision. you'll be back. last year was treading water and most of this year was half steam ahead but things are changing. rates are rising and work is bubbling up all over the place.

[Mich the Tester]

Good for you if it's a decent package - you can always leave

I got the impression you were on a pretty decent rate (£400ish) - if you don't mind the question what ballpark is that putting you on now (sorry I know it's not British to ask)?

I've been on a good rate varying from 63e to 72,50e per hour the last year, but I've had four months out this year and for 6 months last year I worked 20 hour weeks. Clientcos want short term hands and the quality of the projects has gone downhill, with a few exceptions. I could get more work at a decent rate but I refuse to do waterfail projects any more, which means I'm out of about 7 out of 10 projects in NL, and only want to do Agile projects, so I'm joining a firm that only does Agile.

I'll be on basic 70k euros, plus bonusses, good car allowance (C Class money, but I'll take the expenses and drive my own car), pension, health insurance etc etc and importantly, a good education budget with almost a month of training days each year.

Add to all this, in the last 5 years I've had two clientcos who've gone bust before paying, so I took some hits.

[doomage]

Is one of the permie benefits free mattress protectors?

Shameful.

Good luck in your new role and have fun over at mumsnet!