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Making the Leap

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    #11
    No one has pointed out where contracting may (or may not) be in the next year and a bit either...
    'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

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      #12
      Met a guy once at a venue with skills to die for. The permie wages were abysmal. I asked him if he had ever considered contracting as he was the kind of person who would never be out of work(in my humble opinion). He said having worked with contractors and seen what he could earn, he had thought about it many times. But having three kids and a big mortgage, he couldn't take the risk. And this was even after having met some contractors who were themselves, parents and the owners of big mortgages.
      For some people, the risk is too much.

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        #13
        I quit my permie job without a contract and was without work for 3 weeks (yeah, not much - didn't claim JSA, because it didn't exist then ) Longest three weeks ever. After that, never looked back. During my contracting career, the longest break has been 3 months. All this with wife and three kids and mortgage - that I still have.
        Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!

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          #14
          Originally posted by nickbennett View Post
          Hi all.

          I'm new to the forum and new to contracting. Well, that's not quite right I'm not new to contracting. I've never done it before!

          I'm in a permanent contract and feeling a little trapped. I keep making excuses why I can't just hand in my notice. I don't have the money in case things go wrong. I'm not sure the market is right. I'm learning too much on this project.

          Are these feelings common when moving from permanent to contracts? Any advice or tips?

          Thanks in advance.

          Nick
          Find another perm job that suits you more contracting is not for the faint hearted. You need balls & nerves of steel! Do not assume its easy pickings either your competiting with a lot of highly experienced contractors & agents who will sell their own family down the river just to screw more rate out of them. As a newbie contractor they will offer you below market rate to give your the contract if you can even convince them your worth taking a chance on to begin with.

          Do what you do best stay perm if you have any doubts about moving to be a contractor you are not ready its really that simple!

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            #15
            Originally posted by heyya99 View Post
            Let the OP go for it.
            And you say you don't give poor advice
            This is the main reason he's not ready, IMO.

            Originally posted by nickbennett View Post
            I don't have the money in case things go wrong.
            The Chunt of Chunts.

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              #16
              Originally posted by NotAllThere View Post
              I quit my permie job without a contract and was without work for 3 weeks (yeah, not much - didn't claim JSA, because it didn't exist then ) Longest three weeks ever. After that, never looked back. During my contracting career, the longest break has been 3 months. All this with wife and three kids and mortgage - that I still have.
              Ditto, quit my safe permie dev role in the middle of the last recession (as i was on 3 months notice with no chance of being allowed to bail early). With 2 weeks to go I started looking for my first contract role and landed the first one I interviewed for. Longest enforced break was 4 weeks over the 2012 Olympic Games as the market was dead then. The important point to note was that I was certain I wanted to contract, not 50/60/70% sure, but 100% certain.

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                #17
                Originally posted by SlipTheJab View Post
                The important point to note was that I was certain I wanted to contract, not 50/60/70% sure, but 100% certain.
                This +1.
                If you want it enough, if you manage the risk appropriately and you're good enough, it will happen.

                Obviously, if you are totally pot less and are like a vegetarian in a butchers shop, like the OP, I wouldn't recommend it.
                The Chunt of Chunts.

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                  #18
                  Originally posted by nickbennett View Post
                  Hi all.

                  I'm new to the forum and new to contracting. Well, that's not quite right I'm not new to contracting. I've never done it before!

                  I'm in a permanent contract and feeling a little trapped. I keep making excuses why I can't just hand in my notice. I don't have the money in case things go wrong. I'm not sure the market is right. I'm learning too much on this project.

                  Are these feelings common when moving from permanent to contracts? Any advice or tips?

                  Thanks in advance.

                  Nick
                  Why not try looking at various jobsites for contracts that match your skills. This will give you a rough idea of how the market is and what the average rates are. Be careful, not all listed contracts are real contracts. But it will still give you an idea of what skills are in demand

                  Can you survive without a contract for 6 months ? If not, make a plan - save up enough to survive for 6 months without any income.

                  Are you willing to take a risk ? You would be leaving the comfort of a mundane permanent job for a contract job which may take a while to come through. Also, the expectations of a contractor will be (in most cases, not in all) different than a permie employee. In the industry that I work (telco & media), I've noticed there is less expectation for contractors be better than permie, they usually take in contractors for quick fill in to get the project on-track

                  Having said that, I've found over the years - you do not absolutely have to be the best to secure a contract.

                  From my personal experience, I fell into contracting rather than actively choosing to go contracting. Got made redundant 8 years ago and was applying for both permie and contracting roles. I wasn't clued up on all the rules when I went contracting. For me, the real attraction to contracting was money. I wasn't thinking about independence, running a business, etc, etc at that point.

                  Think about it this way - in 5 years time, do you want to be able to say at least I tried or regret that I never tried (and what could've been). Yes, if it doesn't work out - it will hurt but at least you gave it a shot (that's why save up to mitigate some of the risk)

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                    #19
                    Originally posted by jbond007 View Post
                    Also, the expectations of a contractor will be (in most cases, not in all) different than a permie employee. In the industry that I work (telco & media), I've noticed there is less expectation for contractors be better than permie, they usually take in contractors for quick fill in to get the project on-track

                    Having said that, I've found over the years - you do not absolutely have to be the best to secure a contract.
                    Very sadly this is true. Hopefully something will change soon to correct it.
                    'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

                    Comment


                      #20
                      Originally posted by MrMarkyMark View Post
                      And you say you don't give poor advice
                      This is the main reason he's not ready, IMO.
                      My point was, don't paralyse yourself by having to sell your home, have nothing to eat etc, but when is anyone ever ready to go contratcing? The OP was making the point he's finding lots of excuses to not do it, to stay in the same rut. My view is that life's too short to be constantly making future plans, do it today, not when it's too late.

                      In was advised that I wasn't ready for contracting but I persisted and it's been a fantastic experience. Ups and plenty of downs but all manageable. I wasn't anywhere near 'prepared' to leave perm but I'm thankful I did. Why would I advise against something that I know enriched my life.

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