Self-Employed or Contractual

[Tree-Fela]

After this week and requesting work i have had a few yes for work and i have been told i have to go self-employed to complete work with them. i am just wondering is it worth going self-employed or working for a corpy, i am swaying towards going self emplyed but people who i know are telling me not to so just wondering if anyone could help me out and give me some decent advice.

 

Thanks

Tree-Fela

[nick channer]

if your self employed you can work for several people... if your not you need to be in full time employment with someone..

[Tree-Fela]

Yeh thats what i keep but ano i shouldnt listen to other people but what if the work drys up being self-employed where as in full-time employment your guarenteed work.

Am just weighing the pro's and con's but am finding being self-emplyoed more profitable and more indepedance.

 

Tree-Fela

[Paul Barton]

As you know, self-employed makes you a lot more flexible which is good if you are confident of finding more work from other sources.

 

However, self-employed status carries a number of other risks/downsides. It is much harder to get a mortgage if you are not an 'employee', particularly in the first 3 years. Also, if your work dries up it can be difficult to claim JSA if you ever needed to (which I hope you don't!).

 

It's a tricky decision to make so don't rush in to anything and do your research!

[Will Ayers]

that said i have been employed by a firm and got given the boot when the work dried up with them.. along with quite a few other guys. since then i have been self employed and i love it!

[johnnyboy158]

hi ive been self emploed for 27 years as a backup to forestry work i got myself an hgv 1

lisence and work for agences handy in the winter and before xmas

[Tree-Fela]

But in todays world no one is really guaranteed work are they, its just the companies that i phoned and that phoned me most of them generally said i would need to be self-employed thats why am thinking should i do it because its offering me work which is now and i can take it instead of asking round all the big companies and getting knocked back because of lack of experience of what ever. Am more for going self employed because as you say your free to do what ever and i have got other certifications in other fields eg mini digger license but its not what i want to do thats a back up as johnnyboy said.

 

Thanks for the advice

Tree-Fela

[skyhuck]

You need to decide if you ant to be the master of your own destiny or be beholden to someone else.

 

For me self-employment means I'm in control, thats how I like things;)

[Dean O]

most firms will add a self employed bloke to their list of people they can call in for the odd job (wether a day or a month) when they need an extra hand rather than taking someone on the books, investing in them and risking having to lay them off again.

 

the employer may have to pay you slightly more than employed staff but they dont have to buy you ppe, uniform, climbing gear or tools etc etc.

 

the up for you is you get paid more per day - but you may not get 5 days a week all year and you have more outgoings (tools ppe etc).

 

times are tough and a lot of firms are being cautious - If no one will take on in your area then go SE - you can always keep an eye out with one of the firms you work with for FT employment.

[Paul Barton]

You need to decide if you ant to be the master of your own destiny or be beholden to someone else.

 

For me self-employment means I'm in control, thats how I like things;)

 

Being an employee does not stop you being in control of your destiny.