Contracting Milestone

[ladymuck]

That’s 10 years more than many of the posters on here.

Congratulations, I hope your company bought you a gift.

Damn. Forgot to buy myself a present on 10 years.

Just kicked off my 13th year of trading. For something I fell into by accident, I've done ok with little bench time. I'm rubbish at saving so will probably have to work until I drop dead but I like working so I don't mind*


*at the moment; opinion subject to change

[Hobosapien]

Can you work from home?

Can you have flexibility time?

Can you have lots of holiday?

Funny enough those sort of terms are available, so that's positive, and it's more the typical permie working practices (performance reviews and getting embroiled in all that nonsense) that would put me off, hence why I've resisted going back to permieland since I escaped.

Permie at a public sector body?! Seriously Hobo take the red pill, wake up and see what's what.

I suppose though it depends on your age and if you actually want to do anything interesting on the 9 to 5 rat maze. ...

That's the thing. As I get older some of the attraction of contracting wanes, especially the working away from home during the week aspect, the uncertainty of how long a contract may last and never really feeling settled, and having to keep relatively up to date on the IT skills when the fundamentals remain the same.

Not sure which is the chicken and egg in the scenario but I also find my lack of commitment to working for organisations (though none of my contracts have only been the 3 months or so initially offered, so not that short) is reflected in other aspects of life, always feeling 'on the road' and never really settled.

I suppose that's what retirement is for and in the meantime the significant time off between contracts allows me to avoid feeling burnt out and renews my desire to keep at it, at the cost of meaning financial independence and early retirement is less likely or delayed.