What is the best time to start?

[ujjain]

I have been told December is the worst time to resign and start with IT Contracting, so I'm planning to hand in my month's notice in January.

What are the busiest months of the year?

[tarbera]

Dec/Jan/feb are never good, depends what your skill set is.

I know one permie put in his notice and failed credit check as a contractor with same bank he was with for 15 years as permie - lol

Get all tour ducks in a row 1st

[kaiser78]

But it can depend on the nature of the role - PM vs support for example. I know PM roles have been very slow during the past 6 months and the view is this will pick up from Jan.

IMHO Dec is a good time to resign and then to get yourself sorted to line something up as you go into Jan/Feb.

[ujjain]

So it 1 February a bad time to be without a job or should I aim for 1 March?

[PerfectStorm]

January - clients don't hire because they are recovering from Christmas
February - clients don't hire because they take time off for skiing in half term and then a week either telling their colleagues about it or in hospital
March - clients don't hire because they are waiting for the new tax year
April - clients don't hire because they haven't got all the budget they wanted
May - clients don't hire because they are off for half term and then spend a week talking about it.
June - clients don't hire because they are planning summer holidays
July - clients don't hire because they are winding down for the summer holidays
August - clients don't hire because they are on holiday
September - clients don't hire because they are thinking back to their holidays
October - clients don't hire because they are on half-term holidays and then bragging about them
November - clients don't hire because they are planning Christmas parties and holidays
December - clients don't hire because they are partying and then on holiday

Pick your time for looking for a new contract carefully.

So basically, there's no bad time - however I would probably avoid Christmas as that's the time when damn near everyone's on holiday. Some would argue august too cos of school holidays but I reckon that's overegged a bit.

[ujjain]

******* clients

[kaiser78]

Take it with a pinch of salt...in reality your ideal suited role could come up at any time of the year. Just make sure you are ready to go when it does...

[Ebenezer]

The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago, the second best time is now.

[SueEllen]

Take it with a pinch of salt...in reality your ideal suited role could come up at any time of the year. Just make sure you are ready to go when it does...

WHS

Roles can start any time of the year.

However what you need to always do is find out why the role is available.

[cherhill]

Think it depends on the role.

My own personal opinion is August is the worst month followed by middle December to middle January.

Best months are October-November, March-April.