FAO IT Contractors/HR Heads

[Dinny Breen]

Is is time to take a permanent role? My company (massive US multi-national) are cutting costs, using the recession and larger take-over as an excuse even though their quarter profits are in the Billions.

I know another company (large mobile phone multi-national) where contractors have been put on a 4 day week with daily rates been cut by 10% and compulsary 3 week holidays at Christmas.

An offer has been made, will probably except, is it the right thing to do, Lynchbhoy et al what do you think?

[An Fear Rua]

Is is time to take a permanent role? My company (massive US multi-national) are cutting costs, using the recession and larger take-over as an excuse even though their quarter profits are in the Billions.

I know another company (large mobile phone multi-national) where contractors have been put on a 4 day week with daily rates been cut by 10% and compulsary 3 week holidays at Christmas.

An offer has been made, will probably except, is it the right thing to do, Lynchbhoy et al what do you think?

All depends on the market and how specialised you are(and how much you get per day), I wouldnt be rushing into a perm role for the sake of a couple of months without work. Unless of course you have drank all your money and not kept some back for times like this? Is there any work out there? Are you flexible enough wrt to travel location etc? If the answers no, then you might as well as go perm.

Re your large mobile company, those lads musnt have read the contracts very well if they can be shat on re terms and conditions so easily.

[lynchbhoy]

Is is time to take a permanent role? My company (massive US multi-national) are cutting costs, using the recession and larger take-over as an excuse even though their quarter profits are in the Billions.

I know another company (large mobile phone multi-national) where contractors have been put on a 4 day week with daily rates been cut by 10% and compulsary 3 week holidays at Christmas.

An offer has been made, will probably except, is it the right thing to do, Lynchbhoy et al what do you think?

Dinny - been meaning to send you a pm for ages. Hope all is going well.
I know your circumstances and you know mine. I saw the negativity coming from a while back and while I think , no I actually know there are still a good few jobs out there in IT, mostly contracting, what you are saying is correct. Companies are scaling back because they are afraid 'in case' they are hit, others are unscrupulously doing it to shed a few people and cut costs etc.
The construction industry and banking have been hit here, and it has affected the knock on subsidary industries and services - though not as badly as people woul dhave thought - folk still need to eat, drink and entertain themselves some way - and apart from the aforementioned, the rest of the workers are still making the same wage as before, and right now with mortgage interest rates down, they actually have more money than before.

Still I think you are on a hiding to nothing there. You could chance your arm and hold out against going perm and run the risk of being let go, or , if the perm offer is financially good enough , then its no harm to take it. Ride out the storm and see what you feel like in 6 -9 months time with the worst of the negativity over and companies realising that they still must do business in order to survive.
You biggest worry would be that they shut up shop and feck off to eastern europe/india anyway (but I hear they are having severe difficulty getting quality candiates).
I took the offer, it depends on how much they are offering and how real the threat of getting let go is. I dont think at this juncture you want to
not be without money and work.
also the paid holidays would be very useful.
Hope junior is well btw - and the missus. I'd be leaning towards taking perm....its temporary !

[Tankie]

Is is time to take a permanent role? My company (massive US multi-national) are cutting costs, using the recession and larger take-over as an excuse even though their quarter profits are in the Billions.

I know another company (large mobile phone multi-national) where contractors have been put on a 4 day week with daily rates been cut by 10% and compulsary 3 week holidays at Christmas.

An offer has been made, will probably except, is it the right thing to do, Lynchbhoy et al what do you think?

If i was contactor i would take a permanent role if there was one going, i work for a large multi national and all contractor's contracts are not being renewed once they expire. Contractors are always the first to go when cutting costs!

[nifan]

i dunno if i could do the contractor malarky. I am much too lazy to organize myself effectively enough

[Dinny Breen]

took the offer, it depends on how much they are offering and how real the threat of getting let go is. I dont think at this juncture you want to
not be without money and work.
also the paid holidays would be very useful.
Hope junior is well btw - and the missus. I'd be leaning towards taking perm....its temporary !

That's the key, getting married next year as well so paid holidays and security are looking very tempting. My own team has been reduced from 3 to 1 

The offer is tempting so looks like I'm going back to permy and dissing contractor scum 

[nifan]

The offer is tempting so looks I'm going back to permy and dissing contractor scum 

Welcome back to the fold:)

[lynchbhoy]

took the offer, it depends on how much they are offering and how real the threat of getting let go is. I dont think at this juncture you want to
not be without money and work.
also the paid holidays would be very useful.
Hope junior is well btw - and the missus. I'd be leaning towards taking perm....its temporary !

That's the key, getting married next year as well so paid holidays and security are looking very tempting. My own team has been reduced from 3 to 1 

The offer is tempting so looks like I'm going back to permy and dissing contractor scum 

I did the same so obv thinnk you are doing the right thing- in this climate.
However after that,you can feel free to re-negotiate and build yourself into a bit of a niche as the only person left in that team - so later on when things get a bit better (and you are not in danger of being a dinesh breeyani - ie outsourced to india) you have them over a barrel and can tell them you wan to go back to being a contractor and they cant really refuse...after a while they will or may get someone else in and fire you though  !