'Part time' contractors

[theroyale]

Would be good to hear from others who switched from perm to contracting because they are seriously pursuing something else as well (which has nothing to do with IT/your contracting skillset). People who have multiple, regular gaps on their CV by choice.

I was a 'full-time contractor' until 2013. Have been part-time since. i.e. on my third year. 7 months work in '14, 3 (!) in '15, and now 4.5 months in '16 and I'm finishing up for the year in two weeks.

The main cushion I've had so far is a repeat client whose multiple discrete projects have helped me truthfully paper over some of the CV gaps - and also helped me feel I wasn't losing too much touch with the bread-n-butter.

It does feel like a risk at times, but I'm in a (so far) marketable skillset so I'm continuing to take that risk. I do wonder if/when I lose my repeat client whether I will feel a bit more exposed (like everywhere else they are steadily offshoring). My target for this year was to achieve 1 more repeat/flexible client with whom I had built a good relationship, but it didn't quite happen.

[northernladuk]

Why not post somewhere else than General where you might get a reasonable answer?

[MarillionFan]

Why not post somewhere else than General where you might get a reasonable answer?

Wibble glib font.

[theroyale]

Why not post somewhere else than General where you might get a reasonable answer?

Ok - any way for a member to move a post, or would the mod have to do it?

[GJABS]

Over the past 14 months I have only worked for 5 months. I took last summer off to do some flying. Then had a 1-month contract off of Jobserve. Then couldn't find anything for 2 months, then got a 4-month contract.
In the past 2 months I have been overseas for a week, ill for 2 weeks, and have spent the last 5 weeks studying for a Microsoft exam, and generally failing to learn effectively (I want to get that pass so I can stick it on my CV to help get next contract).
In short, chaos.

[DimPrawn]

Would be good to hear from others who switched from perm to contracting because they are seriously pursuing something else as well (which has nothing to do with IT/your contracting skillset). People who have multiple, regular gaps on their CV by choice.
.

I am one of those. I do a contract, then take time off working on plan B (which is software related). Plan B doesn't generate enough money to live on, so I have to take work too.

Gaps on CV make getting contracts more difficult though and if your skills go out of fashion (you know, they want version 2.1123b and you've only used 2.1123a), you are ****ed.

Plan B will hopefully replace contracting soon I hope....

[NickFitz]

In short, life.

FTFY

[NotAllThere]

Ok - any way for a member to move a post, or would the mod have to do it?

No, only a mod would have to do it.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Leave the thread on here bud, not all of us are

I don't think your suggestion really works in contracting I'm afraid. You have to work double hard - i.e. keep yourself in contract and work on plan B/C in your spare time.

I managed to find a 4 day/week contract for the last 5 months which was a God send as I felt like I was constantly on holiday....
Now back to reality and hit the bench for the first time in 5 years. I say bench but actually I'm working on several plans, one of which may lead to a contract opportunity. No money coming in at the moment but I have a buffer to keep me going for a short while.

Maybe you should look at it this way - keep working and when you are forced onto the bench then enjoy/make use of your time.

[m0n1k3r]

Would be good to hear from others who switched from perm to contracting because they are seriously pursuing something else as well (which has nothing to do with IT/your contracting skillset). People who have multiple, regular gaps on their CV by choice.

I was a 'full-time contractor' until 2013. Have been part-time since. i.e. on my third year. 7 months work in '14, 3 (!) in '15, and now 4.5 months in '16 and I'm finishing up for the year in two weeks.

The main cushion I've had so far is a repeat client whose multiple discrete projects have helped me truthfully paper over some of the CV gaps - and also helped me feel I wasn't losing too much touch with the bread-n-butter.

It does feel like a risk at times, but I'm in a (so far) marketable skillset so I'm continuing to take that risk. I do wonder if/when I lose my repeat client whether I will feel a bit more exposed (like everywhere else they are steadily offshoring). My target for this year was to achieve 1 more repeat/flexible client with whom I had built a good relationship, but it didn't quite happen.

I suppose you work through a limited company. Then consider yourself permanently employed by your own company since it was incorporated. The client engagements have been just that - client engagements you have worked on as part of your duties as a permie of your own company, just like any employee of PA Consulting et al would state, and you have worked on various in-house projects in between - new product and service development, helping out with sales & marketing etc.