Any advice/strategy for ensuring contracts get extended?

[northernladuk]

OO is so 90's it's all functional programming now.

Is that the same as fapping then?

[psychocandy]

Turn up and do the job well. I tend to find contractors who try to get one over other contractors by unilaterally expanding their role or working every hour god sends tend to burn out.

On one contract I was on one contractor seemed to be in the office until nine or ten each night for no obvious reason as the rest of us barely had enough work to fill the day. Ended up getting a three month extension while the rest of us just went and got other contracts.

Hardly seemed worth it.

LOL. Same as you. Leave it to those contractors who want to arselick to get extensions by working long hours.

If thats what client wants then find someone else cos it wont be me.

[psychocandy]

Back to original post. Follow this flowchart.

1) Does client need someone else for the next 3 months? If YES goto (2), else End of Contract.
2) Is there a budget for next 3 months? If YES, goto (3), else End of Contract.
3) Does client think you can do the job? If YES, then boomed else End of Contract.

As you can see, (3) is the only thing you have influence over.
Although to be fair, (3) does vary a bit as well. Depending on how big a YES for 1 and 2 is, can depend on how big a YES 3 needs to be. (i.e. if client is desperate sometimes they will put up with tulipe contractors).

[FatLazyContractor]

LOL. Same as you. Leave it to those contractors who want to arselick to get extensions by working long hours.

If thats what client wants then find someone else cos it wont be me.

[Unix]

Assuming competence then it's so out of your hands it's not worth worrying about.

[BolshieBastard]

Just want to ensure I have a steady flow of income, and one was is to get extensions - so just wanted your advice!

There's no guarantee to getting extended! The bottom line is, its down to budget and work to be done. Sure, you need to deliver and not give the client to be hacked off as well. Arguing the toss about every little thing such as hours of attendance, lunch breaks and the like will not endear you to them.

Some people advocate knocking yourself out for the first 6 weeks of a contract. Seeing as many contracts are only in 13 week blocks, that suggests taking your foot off the gas for the last 7 weeks! Not a good idea.

Being on good terms with the client and going out of your way when things crop up helps, but if the buget isnt there, you arent getting an extension.

[northernladuk]

LOL. Same as you. Leave it to those contractors who want to arselick to get extensions by working long hours.

If thats what client wants then find someone else cos it wont be me.

Typical PC blinkered crap. There is a huge gap between working incredibly long hours and being an unprofessional clockwatcher. It's called a professional day. Some gigs it's above and beyond the 9 to 5, others it may not need to be but it's about your attitude to your work and your client which will speak volumes. You don't need to arse lick and you don't need to be there until 10 to be valuable to the client. You, of course, wouldn't have a clue how to act professionally and what would be required to be a valuable resource to your client.

If someone people want to put long hours in it doesn't mean they are arselickers. I tend to work more than 8 hours, I don't know why, I just can't be arsed to watch the clock when I am busy and enjoying what I do. When my back is up against the wall I put the hours in to finish what I need because I take pride in my work and own the task. Don't need to put 10-12 hours a day in to do it though. Upside to all this if there is an extension going and only one guy will get offered it then happy days. No skin off my nose.

I hope you are asking all your clients to take out professional working day and put in 9-5 in your contracts.

[eek]

Typical PC blinkered crap. There is a huge gap between working incredibly long hours and being an unprofessional clockwatcher. It's called a professional day. Some gigs it's above and beyond the 9 to 5, others it may not need to be but it's about your attitude to your work and your client which will speak volumes. You don't need to arse lick and you don't need to be there until 10 to be valuable to the client. You, of course, wouldn't have a clue how to act professionally and what would be required to be a valuable resource to your client.

If someone people want to put long hours in it doesn't mean they are arselickers. I tend to work more than 8 hours, I don't know why, I just can't be arsed to watch the clock when I am busy and enjoying what I do. When my back is up against the wall I put the hours in to finish what I need because I take pride in my work and own the task. Don't need to put 10-12 hours a day in to do it though. Upside to all this if there is an extension going and only one guy will get offered it then happy days. No skin off my nose.

I hope you are asking all your clients to take out professional working day and put in 9-5 in your contracts.

+1. Mind you a lot of it has to do with my dislike of traffic and unwillingness to sit in a traffic jam... Leave at 5:30 get home 6:45... leave at 6 home 6:50.... I'll sit in the office, looking busy, doing something I enjoy, thank you very much....

[psychocandy]

Typical PC blinkered crap. There is a huge gap between working incredibly long hours and being an unprofessional clockwatcher. It's called a professional day. Some gigs it's above and beyond the 9 to 5, others it may not need to be but it's about your attitude to your work and your client which will speak volumes. You don't need to arse lick and you don't need to be there until 10 to be valuable to the client. You, of course, wouldn't have a clue how to act professionally and what would be required to be a valuable resource to your client.

If someone people want to put long hours in it doesn't mean they are arselickers. I tend to work more than 8 hours, I don't know why, I just can't be arsed to watch the clock when I am busy and enjoying what I do. When my back is up against the wall I put the hours in to finish what I need because I take pride in my work and own the task. Don't need to put 10-12 hours a day in to do it though. Upside to all this if there is an extension going and only one guy will get offered it then happy days. No skin off my nose.

I hope you are asking all your clients to take out professional working day and put in 9-5 in your contracts.

NLUK - A few things which might be stating the obvious here but as usual you've got a bit overexcited and seen an opportunity to have a dig.

1) Why are you arguing with me about the arselicker thing. If you look I was sort of agreeing with another poster who said about the guy who stayed late needlessly. The important bit here is 'needlessly'.

2 ) You don't know me, we've never met, probably never will. You have no idea how I act with my clients and have no idea what I even do. Despite what your opinions of me are, I have been in IT for over 25 years including a lot of this time in contracting. I've done ok out of it thank you as well. So opinions of my employers/clients are a bit more important than some random on a forum. No offence like but its just a fact.

Saying that if you ever left the forum I'd miss you a lot ;-)

[Unix]

I will only work extra hours if A) I am paid for them (a ta higher rate) B) I causes a problem that requires me to stay. You are running a business, do you think a Lawyer would work an extra 5 hours a week for a client without charging? Only Pseudo permies work longer hours, they are still in the mindset.