Contracting or permanent...??? Edit : Critique my CV

[crisp82]

So I'm applying for a shed load of jobs and waiting on replies, and the thought came to me whether I should stick in contracting (IT - Desktop support) or go to the darkside of permanent work?!

What are you views on both?

 

[Saulbadguy]

I never liked contract.

 

[zimu]

do permanent, just for a little more security, possible benefits, chance of raising the ranks etc.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Money is to be made in the contract side of the house.

However, can you give up the security and benifits. Is there an other half that can provide the benifits? If so, consider it.
If your talents allow you to quickly bounce from one to another with less than a two month lag, the economics are in the contract favor.

 

[crisp82]

Benefits from Contracting I've noticed from so far = $$$

 

[rmrf]

Well, the company I am working for right now decided that as of Jan. 30 2004 all the contractors/temp employees would be terminated. When did they decide this? Jan. 20 2004. That leaves a hell of a lot of time to find a job :disgust:

 

[athithi]

Originally posted by: crisp82
Benefits from Contracting I've noticed from so far = $$$

Contracting pays a bit more upfront, but you lose it again for any vacations or holidays you may take. Also, there are no benefits and unless you plan on becoming a hotshot consultant, your career pretty much stagnates throughout your contracting term. I am experiencing this first hand even though I've held a very stable contracting position for over 3.5 yrs so far. In this economy, I would think a permanent job is better.

Beginning stages of career:
Permanent is better, you get a smoother learning curve and have the luxury of learning from more experienced people in your company. Also, your resume gets more credibility.

Early to mid-career:
Contracting is better, you make more money, quicker and probably don't mind moving around or living a minimalist lifestyle if needed.

Mid-career:
Permanent is better, you are probably starting a family and need to be stable. Also, you get an opportunity to progress to higher designations in your field.

Late-career:
Consulting/Contracting is better, you make more money and you have enough saved up to let you pick and choose assignments.

- that is, if you have a decent amount of luck and have planned out your career well. I am getting into the mid-career stages and would really prefer a permanent position now - though they are very hard to come by

 

[imported_Strang]

Originally posted by: rmrf
Well, the company I am working for right now decided that as of Jan. 30 2004 all the contractors/temp employees would be terminated. When did they decide this? Jan. 20 2004. That leaves a hell of a lot of time to find a job :disgust:

That's the thing that scares me the most about contracting (which is what I'm currently doing...). At one point, I worked in a helpdesk that had both contractors and FTEs and after 9/11, every contractor was laid off (although thankfully I had more than 10 days notice, not that it helped that much).

In the past year, I've really missed sick time and vacation as I took a little over two weeks off for two trips and missed a bit of work due to sickness and a back injury.

 

[Nightfall]

I prefer permanent positions to be honest with you. I used to contract, and while the pay was good, I just didn't like bouncing around from one place to the next. I started at my current job back in June 1998 and haven't looked back since. I like the hours, my coworkers, benefits, and vacation time. The pay has went up as well and I have climbed the ranks.

It really all depends on what you like to do.

 

[crisp82]

Ok. 2 Questions....

1) Contractors...have any of you set up a limited company to avoid tax? How does this work?

2) What Benefits do you look for from a permanent position?

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: crisp82
Ok. 2 Questions....

1) Contractors...have any of you set up a limited company to avoid tax? How does this work?

2) What Benefits do you look for from a permanent position?

1)
a) You can just incorporate yourself or go as an S Corp. This means that the client pays you an invoice as if you were a compnay. As a company you are then responsible for what ever corp taxes are required for both incomde and employee.

b) Have a client pay you an invoice and send you a 1099 form at the end of the year. You are then personally responsible for the income taxes but can easily use the Schedule C to deduct expenses.

I use the b option, and have known others that use the A options.


2) Benifits depend on your requirements/desires and value to the company
Life Insurance
Medical Insurance
Vacation
Retirement Plans
Corporate discounts
Perks
Bonuses
Secretaries
Private Offices
Parking

 

[rh71]

I like the job security of permanent, but the occasional unpaid OT hours suck.

 

[crisp82]

Ok. Next question. How much can I expect for a similar position to the last one on my CV.

My CV. Critique also please.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: crisp82
Ok. Next question. How much can I expect for a similar position to the last one on my CV.

My CV. Critique also please.

Value in old America is undetermined

 

[crisp82]

how about in old UK?

Was on 20 pound an hour for the last position

 

[fizmeister]

Erm, you may want to ignore your GCSE results.

Also, try to condense the text; you don't need to list all of the applications you're familiar with, especially not one per line.

EDIT: Don't mention Outlook Express, Internet Explorer, Netscape, or Exchange. Only mention Microsoft Office and maybe some desktop publishing things (anyone can use OExpress, man).

Don't mention the brands of computer hardeware. Simply state "familiar with IBM/PC Compatible", troubleshooting, etc.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Comments/thoughts:

Remove the grades - negative impact
What does 6 unit exam passes mean to a person reading the resume.

At age 21, what real experience have you had with Windows 3.11 - that was 10 years ago.

Did you actually do anything with the applications or just use them?
Currently people in the computer field are expected to know how to use a browser.
If you did details on Exchane, then it is OK to leave it seperate.

As what fizmeister stated with respect to H/W. What you listed would have no special interest to anybody other than a repair shop.

Check grammar - missing some punctuation (commas).

SLA is not defined - do not use abreviations unless they are common to a non-technical person.

Dump the bar tender - not applicable to type of work and the time frame is already covered.

 

[crisp82]

keep it coming

 

[Ogg]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Comments/thoughts:

Remove the grades - negative impact
What does 6 unit exam passes mean to a person reading the resume.

At age 21, what real experience have you had with Windows 3.11 - that was 10 years ago.

Did you actually do anything with the applications or just use them?
Currently people in the computer field are expected to know how to use a browser.
If you did details on Exchane, then it is OK to leave it seperate.

As what fizmeister stated with respect to H/W. What you listed would have no special interest to anybody other than a repair shop.

Check grammar - missing some punctuation (commas).

SLA is not defined - do not use abreviations unless they are common to a non-technical person.

Dump the bar tender - not applicable to type of work and the time frame is already covered.

I agree with the above two posts and honestly I think you should just start over.
Delete and create a resume on your own.
If you want to have an objective statement on your res then it must be perfect.
I feel that its better to basically state your "objective" in the cover letter that you submit with your resume.
You must always customize you cover letter for each individual job you apply for. :beer: