Temp contracts

Gregry254

Gregry254

Gregry254

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Joined
5 Dec 2006
Posts
607
Location
Aberdeen
I have been a security guard for over 2 years now waiting for an IT opportunity to pop its head. Today I get a phone call from an agency offering me a 3 month contract with Woodgroup but there is no guarantee of it going permanent and no guarantee I will get another job with security once I leave.

So what would you do?

(I have a HND in Tech support/networking)
 
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If your current job is permanent and secure I wouldn't risk going for a temp job. The temp agency wont be able to guarantee more work after the current contract. I would stick with your current job until a permanent IT position turns up.
 
Insta said:
If your current job is permanent and secure I wouldn't risk going for a temp job. The temp agency wont be able to guarantee more work after the current contract. I would stick with your current job until a permanent IT position turns up.
Click to expand...

+1 to this very wise words.
 
As silly as it sounds, and many people will likely disagree with this, but it could be worth talking to your current employers that this contract has cropped up, and you want a stab at it, knowing that it's not permanent. If your employers are happy to do it, they could take you back on once the contract is finished. If possible, get it in writing etc otherwise they could just screw you over.

I left my permanent job for a 6 month temporary contract (2 months in now) for the NHS simply because IT is something I want to get in to, and I had no professional experience, nor worthwhile qualifications. If you think you could survive without having a job for X amount of time, should the contract end, then go for it. If you have any doubts then personally I wouldn't. Like I said, I took the risk because I knew this job is more in-line with what I want to be doing career-wise, the pay was better and the hours more suited to my lifestyle. Plus it gives me the all-important experience that I would need to find the next job.

It's a decision only you can make, and I could guarantee that the majority of people that reply in this would say you'd be silly to give up a permanent job for a temporary one, especially in this "economic climate"!
 
I would stay where you are without question.

Had this same discussion with a guy yesterday, who mortgaged up and with a perfectly good job put his notice in last week because he "he needs room to breath and discover himself".

I told him the only "discovering" that will be going on is when the police find him dead from exposure because his house has been repossesed and he has had to resort to living in a cardboard box.
 
Agree with what's been said in this thread. It's not worth the risk, so if you get on well with your employer and if it would be plausable to let you sort of take leave for 2 months then ask them.
 
I will go against the trend of this thread and ask:

- Do you like your current job?

I am from Aberdeen originally and know quite a few people that were contractors and then got taken on permanently.

Are you open to moving city? If not then unless things have changed, there aren't many IT jobs available in Aberdeen so this would be your chance to actually get some experience there. If you are open to moving somewhere else then I'm sure another opportunity will turn up but depends on how long you are willing to wait.
 
Depends if you have any dependants or comitments, can you afford to be without work after the temp contract ends?

Depends how badly you want to get out of your current job too.

The logical thing is to stay put and wait for something permenant.

Quite a few temp contracts can be temp-to-perm if you do well. Worth asking about.
 
If you want to get into IT then surely you've got to start somewhere... ask the agency on chances of renewal. if you're good, it's quite likely you'll receive an extension or two...

As far as financially securing your short term future is concerned: only you can answer that... how much money do you have in the bank? how much will you save with this new contract and how long can you go on for once this contract ends? how long do you have to find another one... do you have any other financial commitments? family?
 
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