First time contractor Advice - Resign before receiving contract

[TheFaQQer]

Lol I wish I had a quid for every year of work that's supposedly lined up, keep being told there's two years of work lined up at a Gov agency I worked at, don't take a long term contract, it's happening soon, two years later no sign and as far as I know it's all canned. Don't believe anything other than your own instincts.

Contracting for money is not the reason to go contracting, the money is more or less the same if you take it in the prescribed most tax efficient way, just you stash more away in the company for rainy days, of which there will be many.

+1 I'm still waiting for the five year contract that I was promised five years back - "when we win the work, we'll need you to come in - I'm talking needing a three month notice period from you, and a two year initial contract, working from home..."

A few years back, I accepted a contract offer for nine months initially on a seven year government programme - just needed to transfer my clearance over (already cleared for the role). Six weeks later, before the clearance was transferred, the prime contractor re-jigged who was doing what, and my role moved to a different sub-contractor and disappeared completely.

My first contract was three months. At the end of that, I signed a nine month extension and turned down other work. A week later, contract was terminated with immediate effect.

[vwdan]

How confident are you in your ability?

I've told umpteen permies over the years thinking about contracting that they have to resign so that they are available immediately for contract. Very few of them do and are still complaining about the permie life

So, in a word: JUMP

+1 - It was by far the most daunting aspect of going contracting, but nobody was interested in waiting for my notice period. I'd got savings though and knew I could probably get a crappy support contract if I needed to.

I was close to my old company and got along well with the MD, so rather than a notice period we just agreed an end date that worked for us both. It wound up being several months, but it was nice to give a definitive date to agencies. As it happens, I signed my first contract a couple of weeks before and they waited - but it was a definitive date from the first phone call, not a "let me sign a contract and then it'll be two weeks".

Best decision I've made in a long long time.

As above, if you can't leave your job tomorrow and be prepared to deal with it then you're not in the right place to contract. My first contract was meant to be 8 weeks. Then it was dropped to 7 because they had to wait a week (It aligned with a project) and in the end it was 6 because I delivered a week early. Actually, I'd delivered two weeks early really but they asked me to do some go-live support and actually gave me the last day as a thankyou.

I must say, though - I don't want to be out of work but having spent years being scared about the idea it's kind of liberating to think that I'm in a position where it doesn't me worry me anymore. That's probably one of the biggest mental changes I've had about contracting.

[northernladuk]

I must say, though - I don't want to be out of work but having spent years being scared about the idea it's kind of liberating to think that I'm in a position where it doesn't me worry me anymore. That's probably one of the biggest mental changes I've had about contracting.

Funny thing about being out of work. Every time a contact comes close to ending I go through a rush of emotions. Starts off about 6-8 weeks before end when confirmed no extension so a bit of regret if it was a good gig. 6 weeks a bit nervous about going back out to market and not getting anything but don't bother looking at jobserve just yet. 4 weeks or less excitement when I see there are some interesting roles out there and then finally total guilt in the final week when I end up with a couple of offers from people who I applied for and ones I found internally and have to let someone down.

The buzz of the landing the next gig always gets me off though. Makes it worth contracting.