Permie > Contractor

[DanielSQL]

Hello All,

Names Daniel. Not DanielSQL... Just Daniel. Another member thought it would be funny to register to this forum using my name. Not impressed

Anyway I've been sucking on the teet of various employers for a little over ten years now. Managing and developing bespoke legal systems. During that time I've been involved in a number of enjoyable and challenging projects.

Over that time one thing has remained constant - working with databases. Using my SQL knowledge, mainly to write reports (this is what I've spent a lot of time doing). But also to create various objects and solutions.

Since moving on from my first employer - a stint that lasted 7 years. I've moved on to three other law firms. With an average stint of around a a year and a half.

I seem to move on whenever the work dries up. Because of this agents often assume I'm a contractor. And after reviewing what it might be like to be a contractor. I'm starting to wish I was.

So with that said. Here I am. I'm currently working for a law firm in London and am already considering the move to becoming a contract report developer.

Before making any commitments I want to do my research and find out what I could be letting myself in for.

My first question. How was your transition from permie to freelancer?

Daniel

[cojak]

Welcome to CUK Daniel.

There is one rule about CUK - don't admit to being on it, so the poster who grabbed your non-unique name was doing you a favour

As for the transition, I handed in my 3 month notice and waited. Because I didn't know about this forum I wasn't sure what to expect and it was 3 months after I ended permiedom that I found a contract.

So if you have savings you can be relaxed, if you don't, you have to do your research on the job boards and prepare your CV in readiness for the the last 2 weeks of your notice when the agents will be interested in you (apply for jobs from the moment you hand in your notice if it's only 4 weeks).

[NotAllThere]

...
I seem to move on whenever the work dries up. Because of this agents often assume I'm a contractor. And after reviewing what it might be like to be a contractor. I'm starting to wish I was.
...

This was one of the reasons I secured my first contract - the interviewer assumed I was already a contractor because my previous jobs had lasted less than a year.

I resigned from my last permie job, worked out my month's notice. Three weeks after that I got my first contract. That was in 1996. I dipped into permiedom twice since then - once for SAP training, once for a management job. On both occasions when I went back contracting ('98 and 2005), I worked out my notice then found a contract very quickly - the market conditions were radically different to 1996!

[northernladuk]

Permie is greater than contractor?? You are going to be popular on here!

[DanielSQL]

Take your coding / programing hat off lol.

[DanielSQL]

Welcome to CUK Daniel.

There is one rule about CUK - don't admit to being on it, so the poster who grabbed your non-unique name was doing you a favour

As for the transition, I handed in my 3 month notice and waited. Because I didn't know about this forum I wasn't sure what to expect and it was 3 months after I ended permiedom that I found a contract.

So if you have savings you can be relaxed, if you don't, you have to do your research on the job boards and prepare your CV in readiness for the the last 2 weeks of your notice when the agents will be interested in you (apply for jobs from the moment you hand in your notice if it's only 4 weeks).

Afternoon!

Interesting. One thought you would've secured something before handing in your notice. I'm guessing you were rather confident that you would secure something?

[cojak]

Afternoon!

Interesting. One thought you would've secured something before handing in your notice. I'm guessing you were rather confident that you would secure something?

No agent is going to wait for someone with a 3 month notice period. If you want to be a contractor you're going to need to make that first step.

[northernladuk]

Take your coding / programing hat off lol.

I'm COTBAC through and through baby. I sleep in my coding hat.

[mudskipper]

I'd been thinking about contracting for some time, but didn't have the financial reserves. Got lucky enough to have the opportunity to volunteer for redundancy, which gave me the buffer I needed.

Read the first timer's guides and get yourself up to speed and you'll be off to a cracking start.

[PerfectStorm]

I'd been thinking about contracting for some time, but didn't have the financial reserves. Got lucky enough to have the opportunity to volunteer for redundancy, which gave me the buffer I needed.

Did the same. Much as I like to think I was being brave setting out on my own, it was the redundo that was the primary deciding factor

Fair play to people who leave and do it of their own accord - I went through a lot of permie rejection before even interviewing for contracting... think if I'd still been in a job I would've gone back with my tail between my legs and stayed in it