Security or dreams?

Why is life never simple? ;-)

I have a dilemma. One that any other time this week I think I’d have killed for. Having spent the week on a downer as finding some work was looking difficult (for those who don’t know, I’m currently in early stages of my start-up, and looking for some contracting to ease the cashflow during development), I should today be hearing from a friend about some work he wants me to do, and then I get a phonecall from another company about the work I interviewed for with them a few weeks back.

Which would be cool. BUT they don’t want me as a contractor, they want me as a provisional permie. I guess they know how useful I’d be to them, so would like me permanently, and I’d be cheaper.

I guess things stack up like this…

Work for my friend:

• It’s a contract, so I’d still be operating as my own company
• It’s only for a couple of months (my current estimate is ~2 months work, although their thinking is that it’d be less)
• It’s in London, meaning a 1hr+ commute each way, on crowded trains, plus no football/ultimate frisbee in the evenings :-(

Work for the other company:

• It’s in Cambridge, so I’d be around for football, etc
• I could cycle to work
• Initial 3 month contract, with option to extend to permanent
• Option to extend to permanent
• Permanent rates
• Wouldn’t be working as my own company

Technically (i.e. knowledge/skills I’d gain) both things are very similar. I guess the real stickler is the pay. It’s not quite the “security vs. dreams” I alluded to in the headline, as I can always leave the permie job when I’ve finished developing my own stuff, but it would be nicer to do the work under the umbrella of my own company.

Well, I guess it’ll have been decided by the end of the day, seeing as that’s when I have to get back to them…