Ask HN: Should I go full time in my main job?

[simopaa]

For the past three years I've been working part time (0 hour contract) as a developer while completing my studies. Now that I'm graduating, I have a choice between going full-time or continuing with the current style of contract.

I've been loving the freedom that the 0-hour gives me - and the boost in productivity compared to the 8-hour day - and the possibilities in improving myself in the spared hours. However, considering our current projects, I would still probably keep putting in about 6h/day.

There are benefits in full time as well. If I were to take it, I would gain access to paid holidays (meaning Christmas, Easter etc. I do get actual holidays the same as everyone else) and sick-days, as well as maybe improved guarantees and rights. The company argues that it would be easier to manage the bureaucracy as well as estimate the times for each project.

If anyone has had any experience in a similar choice, or has any opinions either way, it would be most appreciated.

[brudgers]

Random advice from the internet:

Get a full time job and build your professional network and learn from more experienced people and gain experience within a business. Doing what you are doing now is not growing. And since you will be doing less than you are doing now because you will not be in school, it might even be the opposite of growing.

Keep in mind, zero hour contracts have a low net present value. 6/hrs per day should be discounted by the probability that the contract is gone in two months...perhaps without warning and perhaps without final payment.

  And companies that contract with students often
  replace graduating students with current students
  because their practice is Using Student Contractors.

Finally, it makes sense to look at employment opportunities beyond your partner in the current contract. That may vastly increase your professional network, opportunities to learn, and your diversity of business experience.

Good luck.

[DamonHD]

I think 'full time job' is overrated and I've only had one for about 6 weeks since university. On the other hand I have worked some sort of freelancing and startups for 30 years often putting lots of hours and doing what we'd now called 'networking'! And a lot of 'diversity of business experience' too. And I've considered myself to be fireable on a days' notice almost all of that time.

[simopaa]

Solid advice, thanks!

Hadn't really considered that the company might like to replace me with another, cheaper student. I do, however, consider my position guaranteed for at least the year's end, but I suppose that's what everyone says before they get let go..

One of the main advantages that I see in zero-hour contracts (=less time spent on the job) would give me more opportunities to participate in i.e. open source, since I'd probably not be too exhausted after a work day. This, I think, would contribute more to my growth than stagnating in the current job too much. Of course, there is the risk that the increased spare time would not be spent on anything even remotely useful.

I agree that it might make sense that it could be best to change the company, but that's something I'm not ready to do, at least in the near future. The current projects are too cool for that

[paktek123]

I'd say do whatever you are comfortable with. If you enjoy your current setup, why change it unless you have to ?