Starting as a Contractor: any horror stories?

[Sundial]

I'm pretty new to this whole game and only started because of a job I really loved *sighs* and am trying to get to grips with it - money isn't my main motivator, although it's nice to earn more (I get attached to people, like learning things, get bored very easily, am very quick to finish things (NOT good at pacing) but can be very underconfident, which is a mixed kettle of fish).

Do you all feel like you want to contract until retirement? Also, did you dive into it like a fish when you started? (Sorry, too many fish references!) What are your main motivations for being a contractor?

Has anyone else made a hash of it when they first started? I can't share my stories yet, sorry, I am too new to it and they're too new!

So given that although I'm excellent at the work, but feel I have made a few mistakes when I started contracting, does this mean my options would be limited if I wanted to pursue a long term 'career' in it given that the contracting world is quite small?

[RichardCranium]

I can actually hear the gushing!

Let's break this down.

1. Starting as a Contractor: any horror stories?
2. Do you all feel like you want to contract until retirement?
3. Did you dive into it like a fish when you started? (Sorry, too many fish references!)
4. What are your main motivations for being a contractor?
5. Has anyone else made a hash of it when they first started? I can't share my stories yet, sorry, I am too new to it and they're too new!
6. So given that although I'm excellent at the work, but feel I have made a few mistakes when I started contracting, does this mean my options would be limited if I wanted to pursue a long term 'career' in it given that the contracting world is quite small?

I love a survey, me.

[Sundial]

I can actually hear the gushing!

Let's break this down.


I love a survey, me.

Gushing: are you perpetuating the water/fish references?! Oh go'arn, give me your survey

[Sundial]

I love a survey, me.

Tease *sulks*

[nomadd]

I'm pretty new to this whole game and only started because of a job I really loved *sighs* and am trying to get to grips with it - money isn't my main motivator, although it's nice to earn more (I get attached to people, like learning things, get bored very easily, am very quick to finish things (NOT good at pacing) but can be very underconfident, which is a mixed kettle of fish).

Do you all feel like you want to contract until retirement? Also, did you dive into it like a fish when you started? (Sorry, too many fish references!) What are your main motivations for being a contractor?

Has anyone else made a hash of it when they first started? I can't share my stories yet, sorry, I am too new to it and they're too new!

So given that although I'm excellent at the work, but feel I have made a few mistakes when I started contracting, does this mean my options would be limited if I wanted to pursue a long term 'career' in it given that the contracting world is quite small?

1. Started in 1989. Things went great for the first year. Then the recession hit and things were pretty poor for the next couple of years. Fortunately, I'd kept back a good proportion of those first year earnings, so managed to keep myself going whilst I was out of work for 9 months.

2. Throughout the 90's, things just got better and better. Worked my ass off at keeping my technical skills up-to-date. Fortunately had an excellent contract to take me through the worst of the dot-com bust.

3. Since 2004, things have been mixed. I've always found work when I've wanted it - eventually - but the Indian influx and constantly having to deal with them (and their poor quality work and poor communication skills) has made me progressively more unhappy with contracting - or should I say IT. Now I only do it for the money; the love has mostly gone. Having said that, my last contract was a good one, so I found myself enthused for the first time in years! Life, eh?

4. Yes, I will carry on doing it. Because it let's me afford long breaks off between contracting, and I find I need those more and more these days. A permie job would never give me that. Still, if I did find an excellent - and excellent paying - permie job, well outside of London I would consider permie (as I'm getting old: mid-forties.) Still, that's very unlikely to happen, so I guess I'll die with my contracting boots on.

Nomadd

[Sundial]

1. Started in 1989. Things went great for the first year. Then the recession hit and things were pretty poor for the next couple of years. Fortunately, I'd kept back a good proportion of those first year earnings, so managed to keep myself going whilst I was out of work for 9 months.

2. Throughout the 90's, things just got better and better. Worked my ass off at keeping my technical skills up-to-date. Fortunately had an excellent contract to take me through the worst of the dot-com bust.

3. Since 2004, things have been mixed. I've always found work when I've wanted it - eventually - but the Indian influx and constantly having to deal with them (and their poor quality work and poor communication skills) has made me progressively more unhappy with contracting - or should I say IT. Now I only do it for the money; the love has mostly gone. Having said that, my last contract was a good one, so I found myself enthused for the first time in years! Life, eh?

4. Yes, I will carry on doing it. Because it let's me afford long breaks off between contracting, and I find I need those more and more these days. A permie job would never give me that. Still, if I did find an excellent - and excellent paying - permie job, well outside of London I would consider permie (as I'm getting old: mid-forties.) Still, that's very unlikely to happen, so I guess I'll die with my contracting boots on.

Nomadd

Wowsers, you're a long timer! Having said that, you're still pretty young in mid forties - loads of opportunities to go perm if you want to, I would have thought? I'm basing my experience on quite a few 'oldies' I know who did degrees later in life, or just made a career change. It's quite impressive how you kept up with learning, 'tis really if anyone does it without getting sent on courses without their instigation. 9 months must have been a killer...!

I guess implicit in what you said is that you're suited to doing this kind of work...not stated but fact. And you have always been organised about it? I'm fine with the work, but the whole attitude/agency aspects gets me confuzzled.

[Sundial]

Oh yes and thanks, Nomadd - it's really helpful to hear other people's experiences :-)

[RichardCranium]

I'm basing my experience on quite a few 'oldies' I know who did degrees later in life, or just made a career change. It's quite impressive how you kept up with learning, 'tis really if anyone does it without getting sent on courses without their instigation.

You patronising young bugger!

[BrilloPad]

Has anyone else made a hash of it when they first started? I can't share my stories yet, sorry, I am too new to it and they're too new!

Nope. The rest of us got it right. Its just YOU who messed it up.

HTH

[MrMark]

Having said that, you're still pretty young in mid forties - loads of opportunities to go perm if you want to,

Wow, is it cold on your planet? Are there any similarities to Earth?