Hmmm! Short term contracting past is not seen as successful???

[NotAllThere]

...
Im sorry (well really im not) but anyone calling themselves a contractor who has done 4 or 5 continuous years at the same client isnt a contractor. They are a 'contractor' who has become 'part and parcel' of the client's organisation....

Nine years with the same client. Still a contractor and most definitely not part and parcel of the client's organisation. It all depends on how you work.

[psychocandy]

Red flags for me:-

1. Client wants the moon.
2. Has got this stupid idea that short gigs are always bad.

Points towards a nightmare client. You watch - first day, we expect 9-10 hours a day. Want their moneys worth.

[psychocandy]

Nine years with the same client. Still a contractor and most definitely not part and parcel of the client's organisation. It all depends on how you work.

NAT. Reckon that must be a record. You've rinsed them for a bit then?

How many times have they had the permie discussion?

[LondonManc]

Wants the moon, paying peanuts? Clearing the way for bob, surely?

[curtis]

Some hiring managers think its a very bad sign that the contractor is unable to hold the roles down & or extend.

The thing is this is out of contractors control, you can be the best in the world, top of your game but if they don't need you beyond 3 months then that's it so it does not always show ability if its not gone beyond your initial contract. I went for a 2 week contract once as someone was off sick they then questioned the fact my previous contracts were only 6 months and 3 months!! It amazes me the logic in people that hire that they are hiring a temporary person but want a permanent work history??

[Normie]

Nine years with the same client. Still a contractor and most definitely not part and parcel of the client's organisation. It all depends on how you work.

Ditto - although 10 years for me, but with several months breaks here and there, so probably about 9 years total.

[MrMarkyMark]

NAT. Reckon that must be a record.

Na, there was one here at Client Co had been contracting here 25 years.
Unsure of his exact working practices though.
They made it their mission to get rid.

He left for 3 weeks, then was back on a 3 monther, as he had built the software from the ground up.
Left, again for a few months, was back on a different project and is still up and running.

[LondonManc]

The thing is this is out of contractors control, you can be the best in the world, top of your game but if they don't need you beyond 3 months then that's it so it does not always show ability if its not gone beyond your initial contract. I went for a 2 week contract once as someone was off sick they then questioned the fact my previous contracts were only 6 months and 3 months!! It amazes me the logic in people that hire that they are hiring a temporary person but want a permanent work history??

In theory there are two reasons for contractors:
You have a short term (3-6 months, maybe 12 at a push) resource gap to complete a project/workstream.
You prefer a contingent team as the work available may be volatile and the process of hiring and firing is easier, together with the average ability being (or should be) better

If you've had a string of type 1s, it just means that's the type of contracts you get. That shouldn't be held against the contractor.

[psychocandy]

Getting renewals is probably the best proof of ability.

BUT not all contracts are renewable. Just because an extension does not happen, there could be the following reasons:-

1. Client truly did only want a contractor to cover work for x months and it was never ever going to be longer.
2. Client just can not afford to have a contractor any longer.
3. Role was not as advertised so contractor decided not to stay.
4. Contractor just wanted to do something else.
5. Clients expectation were unrealistic regarding hours worked etc. so contractor did not renew.
6. Contractor was crap.

Only one of the possibilities indicates an issue with the contractor. OK, maybe (4).

But to say short contracts = dodgy contractor is just crap.

[psychocandy]

Or sucking up, it could be either. I've worked with guys that get renewed because they stay late, get in early, do little when they're their but can brown nose the boss like you wouldn't believe, usually about something they have in common, like both having kids of a similar age, or a shared hobby, football team, you name it.

I'm not saying people don't get extended on merit but that's far from the only factor.

Oh yes. In 25 years I've noticed that at times brown nose ability far exceeds tech ability as a way of getting on as a perm or getting extended.

Personally, I cant be arsed with it to my detriment at times...