going from permanent to interim work - bad idea?

[maggiethemagpie]

I'm unhappy in my current job for various reasons and need to leave, the main reason is development (lack of) and due to an extra, unnecessary layer of management being put into the team a year ago my job now has less responsibility and I feel I'm going backwards in my career.

I've done interim work in the past and found it a good way to get experience, fast and develop a career although granted you lose the job security you have with permanent roles.

I am thinking of leaving my permanent job to do interim work and build up my experience to take me to the next level but I'm not sure whether it is a wise time to do this due to Brexit. I've been told there is a lot of contact work at my level, but not so much permanent roles, which may be due to uncertainty over Brexit.

I don't think I can stay where I am much longer as it's making me unhappy and I'm not sure whether to go down the interim route to get some more skills and experience, or just hold out for another permanent job, what do you think?

Depends on how much you need the job security and the money

DH and I need a regular income to pay the mortgage and feed and clothe the family. If we had another income stream we could consider interim / freelance / ad hoc work, but unfortunately we can't

I've been freelancing for years with spells in interim roles. I love it. When I get fed up with the lonely grind of freelancing I grab an interim contract for six months or so, then get bored and go back to freelancing for a bit. If you're comfortable with risk, then it's a great way to live. If you need to know where the next month's pay check is coming from, it's not for you.

And by "need to know" I don't mean that I have a load of savings to keep me afloat, or a rich husband, but I do keep some money to hand to ease out the cashflow bumps that are inevitable with freelancing.

Obviously interims are more predictable in that sense, but you can find there are gaps between contracts. I did very little paid work in March for example, because my contract had finished, and I was prepared for that. I've earned quite a lot in April however, and will start a new interim in a couple of weeks.

In my previous days of being an interim, looking back I got by on a wish and a prayer as I didn't have oodles of savings but I did end up taking some jobs that weren't ideal just to have an income so I suppose that's the risk.....I do remember getting loads of experience very quickly though and being exposed to opportunities that i just wouldn't have got from a permanent job. Hmmm..... really tough one to decide. We COULD get by for a little bit if I was out of work but would I really want to use my savings on living costs?

Ironically, out of the last three permanent jobs I've had, the first was a three month contract that went perm, and the last one was a 12 month contract that went perm. The only job that started as permanent, I ended up being made redundant 8 months later so it just goes to show!

I love it. I'm on my second consecutive mat leave cover (different companies) but I know my role is in high demand, and I know that I'll always get work.