Contractor vs Permanent

[teo]

Hi All,

I am new to this forum and in desperate need of some help. I work in the IT industry, mainly as a developer but also as a micro project manger/analyst.

I am currently working in my first contractor role and have been for the last 7 months. The company I contract with contracts me out to various clients. The work has been greatly varied from database work(my background) to front end web development quite new and exciting stuff. Also i'm learning a lot about how businesses operate from writing quotations to calculating margins and profits etc which is rather interesting.

However work has been slow at the moment and i know i'm not making them money. I bring a good IT knowledge skill set to the table which they appreciate. I've become a bit of a go to man. The benefit of this setup is when I'm not doing work for a client i still get paid, i come to work and do research on new technologies, write quotes etc, answer techy questions. They want to make me a permanent but i don't think its going to happen anytime time soon (politics). My day rate is £250 a day.

Out of interest I applied for a job at a great internet retail company which is expanding fast. I have some skills they are looking for but not all, which they know. To a slight surprise they have offered me the position. Saying I can get trained on the few areas i don't know and think I would be a great fit for the company culture. The role definitely carries more responsibility and is focused on one area in IT. It would be a great opportunity for me but I've quite enjoyed the contract role and change in projects and technologies. However I think i'm spreading myself thin as I'm becoming a jack of all trades but an expert in none so to speak. The perm position is £55000 with benefits(still to be confirmed)

Other info:
I'm 31.
The internet company is a further commute.

Any thoughts on this would be great as I'm struggling to decide between the two.

Thanks

T

[northernladuk]

The fact you are struggling to decide alone tells me you have to go permanent. Contracting has everything for me and permie has nothing at the moment so it is black and white. You don't use contracting as a short term role inbetween perms. You are in or you are out for me. Obvisouly they can offer stupidly good jobs you can't turn down from time to time but that isn't run of the mill.

If you are undecided and this role is offering a raft of training (which you will never get contracting) the take the perm role. Contracting will never go away but opportunities to get some heavy training and improve your skill set will. At worst you do the job for a year and come back contracting on a better rate with improved chances to get end to end contracts.

I don't see a difficult decision here at all IMO

[teo]

Hi northernladuk

You have made a good point. I supposed I've just become comfortable where I am although it hasn't been long. I'm probably fearing the bigger responsibility of the perm more than anything else. Salary wise does it stack up though?

Thanks

T

[Alias]

WNLUKS

Contracting lifestyle is great for me but if I had any doubt then I would take a permie offer

Sounds like you are inside IR35 anyway and possibly a hidden permie from not working to a set of deliverable's etc...

Training is a big plus and as NLUK said, contracting will always be there

[MyUserName]

Unless you are really committed to it then contracting is not fun. You will end up being a disguised employee and have HMRC hounding your dreams of be in IR35 and not really making much money considering the hassle and stress you go through.

If you want to start your own company and offer a consultancy service to a variety of clients and you have the skills, financial security and background for it then contracting is a good idea - although be careful at the moment as the market is not good.

Otherwise go permie. Employers are loath to hire you for a perm job if you have a contracting history as they will assume (usually correctly) that you are just trying to fill a gap between contracts.

If you are completely sure then go contracting otherwise go permie.

[Mister Clark]

Based on your day rate vs perm rate + benefits + training then for me its a no brainier - go perm.

Also sounds like your a jack of all trades kinda guy (nothing wrong with that) but you are more likely in my opinion to secure a contract if you have a specialism in one particular skill which by the sounds of it is what the perm job will allow you to do.

Think of it as a paid contractor scholoship

[teo]

Thanks for all the input guys really appreciate it. Sounds like perm is they way to go for me at the moment. Gain some more skills and be an expert in a specific area.