the "P" word
This morning started like any other normal day. The sky was grey, the tube was crowded. I was late to work, trooped into the morning Fishbowl meeting (so named because one side of the meeting room is curved and made of glass) with my mug of tea, sat around, nodded a bit, and we all did a quick status update on team progress. Nothing new.
However.
As we finished up, I was about to leave with the flow of people - but was requested to stay in the meeting room.
Oh no.... danger flags! I don't like "stay behind" meetings. They worry me.
I was right to be worried. My manager told me that the company is planning to foist off all the contractors in the near future, and they wanted to discuss the word "permanent". Hmmm.
My whole working life here in the UK is based on the premise that I learn some new technologies in different contracts, hoard all the pounds, marry an english guy, and then run back to Australia and build an extravagant castle or maybe a remote tropical Queensland island. It's not an outrageous plan. Permanency doesn't really enter into the equation.
I like working here though. The people are cool and the work is interesting. It reminds me a lot of EDI in the early days crossed with nineties dotcom perks. For example, the kitchen is nicely stocked with free bread (white, brown, pumpernickel, bagels), fruit, jams and fruit juices. They chauffeur the staff out to the MD's house in windsor for a BBQ and use of his pool, table tennis table, trampoline and croquet set for a picnic day out. There's an office cinema downstairs (for "quality control", or possibly tax writeoff) and the building is in an old church and has lots of character. It's less than half an hour for me to get to work. They gave the development staff free Archos media players to use as "development tools" that they could keep (sadly, I missed out on this perk, but I'm holding out for the next round whenever it comes). It's like there's a magic river of money here and they are happy to share it round.
The other thing is that I get a lot of freedom and autonomy here. I can implement new ideas, and I don't get brushed aside as a contractor who needs to shut-up-and-do-the-job-you're-hired-for-please. I dislike the thought of having to go back to zero in a new contract, since they don't often let contractors come in and give them the power to change things.
I'd happily stay here on contract for a while, but am I ready to work as a permanent? knowing that I'm tied down, earning less money and doing the same job with more responsibility? Or should I cut free to my next contract and have to deal with the horrible world of jobhunting again?
posted by d @ 5:30 pm
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