Two months contract - is it worth it?

[Milkyway]

My take on this "time period of contract" is that we as true businesses, just deliver to the needs of the client.
If the client knows that a piece of work is 2 months, then it is 2 months! Who are we or our agents to judge us on this, just because the contract was 2 months?
It makes no sense.

The reason could be varied - it may be a POC project, it could be a piece that they want to build for testing the market/waters for their product ideas, and could have hired the consultant to do the job for those 2 months or whatever.
Its entirely driven by the customer.

If they do have more budget at the end of the piece, they will certainly have the contract renewed. Its all based on budgets and market conditions for the project/product - it does not show on the contractor at all.
Remember, if they did not renew because they did not like the contractor, note that they could have thrown him away long back - there would have been no need to wait for several months to complete the initial contract!
So - just because some one was not renewed, does not mean he was not good or not a committing person.
Its most likely that the customer did not have more budget!

If an agent or client are only filtering candidates based on the contractor's past contract length, then I would say they are intending to hire a disguised employee, not a consultant.

In fact, this is the view even the HMG and HMRC held (or supposedly still holds), given that they came up with this idea of only a one month contract limit as business, and anything more than that was to be treated as employment ... if we remember the days of November, before Autumn statement

So, If the contractor does not treat his/her contracting as business, then yes i would agree it shows on the contractor's quality , because as a disguised employee he/she needs to show more longer contracts
Most of us are true business - so no worries there!

[heyya99]

So essentially your past employer handed over a skilled job done by you, to an unskilled cheaper foreigner just because they can save a lot of quid.
You are happy to mention that you were replaced by an Indian, but not ready to disclose your shameless employer's name who took this replacement decision?
Interesting!

I would say it is your employer who needs to be blamed for this, not that foreigner!

Where did he say he was unskilled? Sounds like the client could get the same service at a cheaper price so went for the cheaper option. I don't get the name and shame bit.

[heyya99]

My take on this "time period of contract" is that we as true businesses, just deliver to the needs of the client.
If the client knows that a piece of work is 2 months, then it is 2 months! Who are we or our agents to judge us on this, just because the contract was 2 months?
It makes no sense.

The reason could be varied - it may be a POC project, it could be a piece that they want to build for testing the market/waters for their product ideas, and could have hired the consultant to do the job for those 2 months or whatever.
Its entirely driven by the customer.

If they do have more budget at the end of the piece, they will certainly have the contract renewed. Its all based on budgets and market conditions for the project/product - it does not show on the contractor at all.
Remember, if they did not renew because they did not like the contractor, note that they could have thrown him away long back - there would have been no need to wait for several months to complete the initial contract!
So - just because some one was not renewed, does not mean he was not good or not a committing person.
Its most likely that the customer did not have more budget!

If an agent or client are only filtering candidates based on the contractor's past contract length, then I would say they are intending to hire a disguised employee, not a consultant.

In fact, this is the view even the HMG and HMRC held (or supposedly still holds), given that they came up with this idea of only a one month contract limit as business, and anything more than that was to be treated as employment ... if we remember the days of November, before Autumn statement

So, If the contractor does not treat his/her contracting as business, then yes i would agree it shows on the contractor's quality , because as a disguised employee he/she needs to show more longer contracts
Most of us are true business - so no worries there!

Aiming to hire disguised employees is more financially rewarding for them than a consultant. The longer the contractor stays on site the more money the agent makes. It makes sense to favour contractors who bill more.

[SueEllen]

Where did he say he was unskilled? Sounds like the client could get the same service at a cheaper price so went for the cheaper option. I don't get the name and shame bit.

Actually the client wanted a different service.

The first service was building the product and then go live support. The second service was long term support.

If the product was built well and was having no problems they may as well hire someone cheaper.

[clearedforlanding]

Actually the client wanted a different service.

The first service was building the product and then go live support. The second service was long term support.

If the product was built well and was having no problems they may as well hire someone cheaper.

And SueEllen hits the nail on the head again.

Business Case -> POC -> Build -> Trial -> Handover -> Ops/BAU

Where should I put my contractor cash? After handover the rate drops. If you can't accept that take a role that puts you earlier in the life-cycle again.

[clearedforlanding]

It's a reasonable deduction and annoying all the same. I'd like to have the flexibility of working 9 months per year and sticking my thumb up my derrière for the other 3 (or take 3 months off between contracts) but in reality, that would end (or severely limit) my business. Agents would think I'm not committed/chancey. Whereas in reality, I'm just running my business they way I want to run it (and providing a good service).

Why not?

Build a reputation for taking a project from Bc to Handover, put in a retainer to resolve post handover exceptions & enjoy your time off.

Rinse and repeat, get out of the agency cycle by building a rep and network then this is the life you can live.

Your business can be a business or in can be an invoicing container. The choice is yours.

[heyya99]

Why not?

Build a reputation for taking a project from Bc to Handover, put in a retainer to resolve post handover exceptions & enjoy your time off.

Rinse and repeat, get out of the agency cycle by building a rep and network then this is the life you can live.

Your business can be a business or in can be an invoicing container. The choice is yours.

This is an ideal world but most rely on agents, unfortunately. But I see your point.

[Brussels Slumdog]

Where did he say he was unskilled? Sounds like the client could get the same service at a cheaper price so went for the cheaper option. I don't get the name and shame bit.

Its the Government that needs naming and shaming for handing out too many visas. Can't blame the Indian as he is most likely better off than working in his country. I was on 500 day which is 380 to me after expenses. It was end client - Indian company- agent combination. It was all the markups that made me expensive.The end client still paid the same . Anyway the job was a copy and paste configuration exercise.

[SimonMac]

You would normally get a good feel at an interview how long a project is due to run, in the past I took a one month contract as it was close to home and I had nothing better on the cards, in the end I was there for over a year and a half, a contract is only as long as the notice period anyway.

[SimonMac]

So essentially your past employer handed over a skilled job done by you, to an unskilled cheaper foreigner just because they can save a lot of quid.
You are happy to mention that you were replaced by an Indian, but not ready to disclose your shameless employer's name who took this replacement decision?
Interesting!

I would say it is your employer who needs to be blamed for this, not that foreigner!

I have had a few jobs where I have had to set something up so it can be handed over to a "lower skilled" BAU team after a project has finihsed, if I do my job right any idiot can pick up the processes that I leave.