contract or permie?
 

indecision here so any advice would be welcome.

I changed jobs about 7 months ago and its not been great but a recent pay rise made it seem slightly more reasonable.

However today I have been offered the opportunity to go for a contract role with a better company.

Rates would be about 85% of current salary but for only 6 months work. Good position with 'possibility' of extending or turning permanent but nothing secure and obviously no perks such as medical, holidays, sick etc.

Am i being lured by easy money and I should just forget it or should i look at reality that even permie roles are not secure these days and take the chance while i can.

Of course I may not even get the contract, but I reckon there would be a good chance of it.

Funny how you always tell me to go permie for the security:puzzled: but the lure of money can soon change that :D

for me £ isnt everything.. i left my old job (carpetwrong!) to work for a small family run shop. much happier as its more flexable & im thought more off.goes along way to be wanted rarther than sell your soul to a big gun who dont give a stuff about you.

Did somebody need some fireworks p!ssing on...
 

The following applies if you intend to work for one company for an
extended period of time, not if you're likely to have lots of
different clients.

General:
No pension
No holidays
No sick days
Limited job security

At work:
Fewer employee rights (depending on how long you work for the client)
and don't they know it.
You usually have to take any work offered, regardless of how crap it is.

After a while everybody gives you hassle at work because you earn more
than a permy doing the same job.l Even if it's not that much more they
think you earn a fortune.

You're everybodys' fall-guy, scapegoat, etc when things go wrong. Less
chance of getting senior permanent roles in the future due to your
contracting background (debateable, but my experience to date).

Running a ltd company:
Even with an accountant you still have to do quite a lot of
paperwork/filing.
Difficult to get a mortgage without 3 years accounts (unless you're willing
to compromise).
Dividends paid quarterly so you tend to live off an overdraft.

And lastly there's IR35......

Part one - only if you have the wrong accountant
two - easy to get a mortgage:D
three - Dividends monthly
four - sadly nothing good to say about that one!

In reality there is no job security anymore so go for it. Also unless you have an exclusive contract (in which case you should be treated as an employee anyway) you will be open to get other work and you never know you might find that is your 'bag'


[Edited on 7-12-2005 by Ozz]

Given that the current company is not necessarily the most caring employer i have come across i am tempted however I am not certain about the state of the market if i stay contract, especially without travelling lots. Although i guess i could always go back to permie if needs be.

I pretty much get the blame for everything anyway and always get the comments that my role is overpaid so there is nothing new there then...lol

take 6 months off to 'travel the world' and then try out the other place ?

as a temp i regulary get my nose rubbed with the second class citizen
5 days less holiday no pension no option into share schemes no medical no sick , it was an absolute ******* to get a mortgauge and its still a bit **** being excluded by so many lenders

but gettting payed weekly is ace you need no money managment skills what so ever i cant think of any other good points of being a temp

oh you might loose bank holiday entitelment for 6 months an all

having said that ive never has a permanant job,

the grass is always greener and all that

Scotty

Its a 6 months contract starting asap and it would still be paid monthly so is a bit different i guess

Lily,

Don't be put off by the financial side, i worked about 2 years contract stuff waiting for my break into a staff position in the Oil game.

I used a company called "Payco" in Lancashire, check directory enquries they will give you the number and get them to send you an explanation pack out.

Dividends paid monthly, loads of expenses claimed for and i was better off to the tune of over a grand a month compared to the same people doing the same job on a PAYE basis, so they could ram there holiday and sick pay where the sun never shined.:lol:

If you are good at your job which i am sure you are, don't let the sniping worry you, every contract job i have ever been on i have been offered a full time staff position and declined it until the biggy i am in now came along and i took it with both hands.

Managers nowadays see the benefit in having a worthwhile employee regardless whether they are temp or perm. It is easier for them to "Try before they buy" and the 6 months will just be like a trial period.

I guarantee you are offered a full time staff position at the end of the term if they like what they see!!!