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Is the gloss coming off contracting?

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    #11
    The gloss is certainly coming off for me.

    When i started contracting in the early 90's, for the first time in my life, I used to enjoy getting up and going to a gig. After 14 years in the scientific side of the Civil Service, that was a bloody novelty, to actually enjoy what you were doing.

    I think the gloss started to dull around 2004/05. Bobs, Agents, IR35, clients, managerial bulltulip, bloated projects delivering truckloads of useless documents.

    Got sent a Bob RAID doc this morning which actually contained a risk that 'The environment would not be fit for purpose' with a mitigating action of 'Ensure environment is fit for purpose', with both being the responsibility of said bob and his team of bobs.

    Contracting pretty much now sucks, except the money
    When freedom comes along, don't PISH in the water supply.....

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      #12
      Originally posted by northernladuk View Post
      The sheer number of people taking it up just because it is quicker to get a gig than it is a job and then just acting like a permie is going to continue to attract HMRC's attention until they finally put the boot in.
      I'm not so sure fella, unless HMRC can outlaw being self employed, or an individual’s right to run a business - (which they can't) it's not going to happen.

      This is the whole deal with IR35 imo, they are just trying to scare people to "fess up" in each iteration. I reckon loads of contractors would have been stupid enough to send in their contracts voluntarily.

      On topic, for me a lot of it comes down to a change in Executive style and trends away from being "innovative" to "cost saving" ... Cost saving, in my experience means guaranteeing (Sp?) long term failure for the short term success of fudged increased profit <cough, efficiency> figures.
      Last edited by Scoobos; 2 August 2012, 11:54.

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        #13
        Originally posted by TestMangler View Post
        I think the gloss started to dull around 2004/05. Bobs, Agents, IR35, clients, managerial bulltulip, bloated projects delivering truckloads of useless documents.

        Got sent a Bob RAID doc this morning which actually contained a risk that 'The environment would not be fit for purpose' with a mitigating action of 'Ensure environment is fit for purpose', with both being the responsibility of said bob and his team of bobs.

        Contracting pretty much now sucks, except the money
        Very recognisable. This is all part of a set of ritual dances and witch doctor ceremonies generally known as 'best practices'. It makes me sick. I won't go permie though.
        Last edited by Mich the Tester; 2 August 2012, 12:01.
        And what exactly is wrong with an "ad hominem" argument? Dodgy Agent, 16-5-2014

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          #14
          Originally posted by Mich the Tester View Post
          Very recognisable. This is all part of a set of ritual dances and witch doctor ceremonies generally known as 'best practices'. it makes me sick.

          Fuck it Mitch. Lets give all this up, steal a car and go on a road trip, kinda like in 'From Dusk Til Dawn'
          When freedom comes along, don't PISH in the water supply.....

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            #15
            Originally posted by EternalOptimist View Post

            ta
            Hang on - The square root of WHS sounds more ambivalent than a WHS

            Also it might be negative (*), so NickFitz may actually be disagreeing with you.

            (*) although conventionally the square root "function" of a positive number is assumed to be positive.
            Work in the public sector? Read the IR35 FAQ here

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              #16
              In my line it's not really worth the bother any more, the rate in (most cases) is the same as permy plus a little extra to cover lack of holiday/sick.

              Unfortunatly desperate people are happy to accept this so rates stay low.

              I'm looking to go perm at the first good opportunity.
              Science isn't about why, it's about why not. You ask: why is so much of our science dangerous? I say: why not marry safe science if you love it so much. In fact, why not invent a special safety door that won't hit you in the butt on the way out, because you are fired. - Cave Johnson

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                #17
                I started contracting in 1988. It was bad then - but 94-99 were superb! I lasted aniother 10 years before permiedom - but I think it has been downhill for last 13 years.

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                  #18
                  Originally posted by OwlHoot View Post
                  Hang on - The square root of WHS sounds more ambivalent than a WHS
                  Unicode Character 'HEAVY CHECK MARK' (U+2714)

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                    #19
                    Originally posted by OwlHoot View Post
                    Hang on - The square root of WHS sounds more ambivalent than a WHS

                    Also it might be negative (*), so NickFitz may actually be disagreeing with you.

                    (*) although conventionally the square root "function" of a positive number is assumed to be positive.
                    ok
                    (\__/)
                    (>'.'<)
                    ("")("") Born to Drink. Forced to Work

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                      #20
                      Originally posted by NickFitz View Post
                      ta
                      (\__/)
                      (>'.'<)
                      ("")("") Born to Drink. Forced to Work

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