How to decide whether to switch to permie?

[Willapp]

Surely the most important thing here is whether you want to relocate to a different country? It's quite a big life decision and I would put that ahead of any contract vs. permie choice.

I'm assuming you have no ties to the UK (wife, kids, poorly family members etc.) which gives you the freedom to live and work where ever you want? Given that you're familiar with Barcelona and would be happy living there, it sounds like a great opportunity to live a different lifestyle for a few years and that has got to be worth a lot in any decision. Assuming the permie package is enough to life the lifestyle you want, I'd say take it. You usually regret the things you don't do more than the things you do. Worst case? It doesn't work out so after 6 months or so you move back to the UK and find another contract. What have you really lost?

[ginjar]

You usually regret the things you don't do more than the things you do.

-- Careful there! That's probably sound counsel for the most part but could be dangerous advice in the hands of, for example, the dice man.

Maybe I should just roll and see what number comes up?

But yes, the chance to experiment with something new, generally that's where I'm coming at this from.

The thread was partly about taking stock of the differences between contract/permie. So that I don't just jump straight into it and vaguely remember something about sky-high day rates and months of freedom while 'fighting over the scraps' in permiedom, as @squarepeg put it

I was also wondering whether it is worth switching from contract to permie if it *is* an experiment & something I'm not sure I'll stick to. That must add complications & in my case even more as I would be taxed in a different country with a different tax year.

& whether, if I am going for a permie job, it's better to hold out for something that would involve new technologies. The job in question is fairly similar skills-wise to past contracts & it seems like part of the benefit of permanent is that you don't need to be an expert in what you're working with from the start. At *some* point I would like to get out the box defined by my past contract work - surely this is a reason that many contractors switch, to gain new skills, and then perhaps switch back again.

[Willapp]

Well there have been lots of threads about the financial pros and cons of contractor vs. permiedom, which usually boil down to you being worse off in a permie role (unless you're *very* fortunate or on a crap day rate for your given field) but the job security + benefits + potential to learn new skills are given to offset this.

On that last point if your perm role doesn't offer much opportunity to gain new skills then I agree it doesn't seem so appealing. I'm in a vaguely similar position (minus the emigration) as I've been working the same contract for 2.5 years and have decided to finish end of June. Luckily I know someone prepared to give me a contract that will involve a mixture of existing + new skills but I know that's not normal.

For me the biggest switch from contract to perm is the mental attitude: I love going in and doing a good job, making a real impact to the business, but forgetting all about it as I walk out of the client's office at the end of each day, because the burdens of their business aren't mine to bear. In previous perm roles I've found the stress grows over time as - if you're good and a conscientious person - you tend to take on additional responsibilities and a sense of ownership over what you do. Some people love this but I grew to hate it as the job can then eat into your life and get you down. Contracting set me free.

[ginjar]

Contracting set me free

From being a good and conscientious person?

Don't you think an excess of loyalty and fellow-feeling is a liability whatever the contractual arrangement?

As a contractor you'll end up delivering vastly more than what is actually entailed by the contract simply because it's what needs to get done. You want to see the project work and you'd rather just get on with it than haggle over what you've committed to do. I've found this to be a problem with smaller clients don't know what they're asking for.

I reckon my style of working makes me better suited to contracting but I'll keep an open mind. As you say, there's nothing much lost if I try it for a year or so and switch back again.

[kaiser78]

I have a possible job offer in Barcelona & after 7 years of contracting, I'm considering it. I know the city quite well (I spent 6 months there as an Erasmus student). In the UK, contracting has been my preferred way of working. If I had to sum up my reasons: better rates, more interesting projects, more time off and, lately, more remote working opportunities.
...

This is such a personal dilemma which only you can answer. Go with your gut feel, which deep down is always the right decision (at the time).