Is a contractor life better the higher up the food chain you are?

[edison]

Hi,

Been lurking on here for a few months and after leaving my perm job got my first contract last month.

Have read and learnt from a lot of useful experiences from others such as the hassle with agents, clients, tax issues, IR35, boring gigs etc. But there seems to be fairly consistent picture of negativity/moaning and well, unhappiness. A lot of these comments seem to come from the techie/PM/BA camps - I was wondering if the long term experience is any different the higher up the food chain you go?

Anyone here at the senior management/interim/higher end of the contract payscale who can shed a more positive light?

Or is this what it is really like no matter what level you are at and I've got 10-15 years of crap to look forward to?

[DaveB]

Hi,

Been lurking on here for a few months and after leaving my perm job got my first contract last month.

Have read and learnt from a lot of useful experiences from others such as the hassle with agents, clients, tax issues, IR35, boring gigs etc. But there seems to be fairly consistent picture of negativity/moaning and well, unhappiness. A lot of these comments seem to come from the techie/PM/BA camps - I was wondering if the long term experience is any different the higher up the food chain you go?

Anyone here at the senior management/interim/higher end of the contract payscale who can shed a more positive light?

Or is this what it is really like no matter what level you are at and I've got 10-15 years of crap to look forward to?

Most jobs are crap, no matter where in the food chain you are. The real difference in contracting is that

a) we don't have to put up with it if we don't want to or get bored with dealing with ( find another gig and move on).

b) we get paid a hell of a lot more than the equivalent permie to deal with it.

c) we actually have less of the crap to deal with as we don't get dragged into al the HR bulltulip that goes with being a permie. Performance reviews, promotion boards, worrying about whether your going to get a bonus this year, or even a pay rise.

The tax stuff isn't as bad as you might think once you get your head around it, unless you are one of the unfortunates caught up in something like BN66 or have made a real hash of it. Get an accountant, get some tax liability insurance and sleep at night.

We still moan about it all because that's what people do, and it's tolerated to a greater or lesser degree on here depending on the circumstances. Even new posters who open their account with a rant about their current gig will normally be humoured in a condescending, pat on the head, "run along now, there's a good chap" sort of way. Start posting multiple times a day with nothing but whinging about how crap your client is and you'll get short shrift from the regulars.

Speaking of regulars, it's generally them that moan the loudest. But they get away with it on account of their age and infirmity and you shouldn't pay too much attention to them anyway

Anyway, Welcome to the forums. Do you like films about gladiators or know how to bleed a radiator?

[northernladuk]

+1 to everything DaveB says but there are negative differences as well. We are a temporary workforce and it is possible we could be put in to situations as a scapegoat or get treated a lot worse buy managers and peer level permies. Doesn't happen often but it can. Just take it as a good test of your mettle. We are in business and that comes with a little bit of different crap but those that were strong enough to go contracting should be able to shoulder it.

Some people are permie throughout and can't grasp contracting, always moaning about their clients and their work. They, in my mind, are still as permie as the day they left their full time job as their mindset hasn't changed.

Nothing is insurmountable with a bit of effort and broad shoulders and remember it is always short term. See it as part of the colourful nature of contracting rather than blockers constantly put in your way by your client.

I can't comment on why different people moan and am not sure it can be attributable to a level. Maybe more senior guys understand it is part of the bigger picture and about running a business but I know a lot of BA's and techies that still see it that way as well. Probably more about a person than a role. Saying that people that are blinkered in their view and don't see things like this as a challenge/opportunity don't tend to rise the ranks so maybe they do stay at a level. I dunno.

Most of what you see on here is just letting of some steam. Just imagine what a permies forum would look like though. It would probably put anyone off ever getting a job

Just in, ignore the moaners and make your own career now. You have 10-15 years of opportunities and challenges and will get pretty well paid for it so look forward to good times.

[SueEllen]

I was wondering if the long term experience is any different the higher up the food chain you go?

One of the reasons they are higher up the chain is they have better people skills and a temperament to deal with it as a result they moan a lot less.

Or is this what it is really like no matter what level you are at and I've got 10-15 years of crap to look forward to?

I don't get a lot of sh*t from my clients then again I'm thicked skinned.

[Ticktock]

As my contracts are for specific projects and I can generally determine a fairly exact end date, I live in the knowledge that no matter how much I may hate a gig (whether the company is awful, the work is boring, or whatever) I can see the end, and only have to last that long. There's always a light at the end of my tunnel (missus).

When I was a permie I sat in a couple of jobs I hated, that deep-down I knew I should have left, due to inertia. I no longer do that.
Of course, when I find a gig I love, it's unfortunate that it has to end, but swings and roundabouts.

[kevpuk]

As my contracts are for specific projects and I can generally determine a fairly exact end date, I live in the knowledge that no matter how much I may hate a gig (whether the company is awful, the work is boring, or whatever) I can see the end, and only have to last that long. There's always a light at the end of my tunnel (missus).

When I was a permie I sat in a couple of jobs I hated, that deep-down I knew I should have left, due to inertia. I no longer do that.
Of course, when I find a gig I love, it's unfortunate that it has to end, but swings and roundabouts.

This ^^

Never really hated any permie role, but there were some that were more-or-less just going through the motions. Contracting is different in that you are master of your own destiny to a much greater degree, and the next big thing is just around the corner

[Peter Loew]

Choice

I was recently asked in an interview, why I chose to work within some of the industry sectors and companies as stated on my CV, and why I am interested in the current opportunity. This reminded me of the choice I get (to a certain degree) as a contractor that I'd never get as a permie. It made me feel good, but I gave the honest answer that it's also a matter of market forces as well as choice. Sometimes if you've been contracting for a certain period of time, you tend to forget what the real benefits are, until you visit these forums again.

And while it's true that there are many gigs that are stale, boring, soulless (most City jobs in my experience are just that), it's only temporary. There are interesting projects and industries out there, but they will usually come with a trade off, namely rate, and so here is the real benefit of choice; you can chose to work at whatever rate is advertised or offered. If it's below your market rate, it's still only temporary, if it's above or at, it's STILL only temporary. Do what will benefit your career and company ambitions the most assuming you have the means.

Choice is a great thing.

[MPwannadecentincome]

b) we get paid a hell of a lot more than the equivalent permie to deal with it.

Not sure that is always true - even though I am on a good rate as a PM its within the same ballpark as an equivalent permie job particularly if the permie job pays a bonus / car / health scheme / matched pension contributions / death in service, etc.

Only difference is equivalent permie jobs in my industry sector are few and far between.

[MPwannadecentincome]

Anyone here at the senior management/interim/higher end of the contract payscale who can shed a more positive light?

Not sure what rate a "higher end" starts at but I would imagine if you are good then finding work is easier as reputation gets around and direct assignments might be easier too - if you are no good then....

[edison]

Not sure what rate a "higher end" starts at but I would imagine if you are good then finding work is easier as reputation gets around and direct assignments might be easier too - if you are no good then....

I was thinking about Senior Manager / Head of Function roles and upwards. In terms of rates, I can only gauge by what I know London/South East wise and excluding FS - about 600-700 plus/day...