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Contract Renewal/Extension

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    Contract Renewal/Extension

    I have been discussing the second contract renewal with the client. Awesome client/project - excellent working environment.
    We agreed on extending it and I was expecting 6 more months as there is still a lot of work to do on the project but just received the contract from the agency and the End Date is is end of this year (about 11 extra work weeks).
    I am still to discuss this with the client as the new contract just came through.

    There are quite a few opportunities in my field at the moment with 6 months+ contracts and closer to home.

    What would you do?

    #2
    If you don't bring it up now with the client then you'll be unhappy / insecure for the duration of the contract. Get it off your chest. Could be a misprint/misunderstanding, or perhaps that's all the PM has budget for at this time.

    If you don't ask you won't find out.

    Comment


      #3
      It sounds like you have a good relationship with your client. Ask them. It's a simple conversation to have.

      Something along the lines of "the agency sent through the contract paperwork but it's only to the end of the year, not the six months we discussed. Is that an error or has something changed?"

      If you enjoy the work, it would be silly to refuse the extension without discussing it first. It's entirely possible that the company's financial year end is 31 December and it's easier from an accounting and admin perspective to have a clean split.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by ladymuck View Post
        It sounds like you have a good relationship with your client. Ask them. It's a simple conversation to have.

        Something along the lines of "the agency sent through the contract paperwork but it's only to the end of the year, not the six months we discussed. Is that an error or has something changed?"

        If you enjoy the work, it would be silly to refuse the extension without discussing it first. It's entirely possible that the company's financial year end is 31 December and it's easier from an accounting and admin perspective to have a clean split.
        Yes, and if the extension is to the end of the year then fine if they confirm that another extension will come in Jan.
        ______________________
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          #5
          Thanks for taking time to answer this. Pretty much confirms my initial thoughts.

          I'll have a chat with the them this morning.

          Comment


            #6
            I've worked with clients before where they tried to align all their contractor renewal dates, so you might start with a 6 month contract to get you in, then the next one was <6 months (maybe only 6-8 weeks) but that got you aligned with everyone else, then the subsequent contracts were 6 monthly (or yearly in one case).
            The client may be intending to keep you on for a long time but due to the finance department, they have to give you a shorter one. It could also be tied in to year end/budgets etc.

            A quick chat with the client and I suspect the answer will be simple.
            …Maybe we ain’t that young anymore

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              #7
              It's roughly 12 weeks until the end of the year, perhaps budgets for next year have not been released yet? A chat with the hiring manager should give you a feel on an extension in January.
              Make Mercia Great Again!

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by zonkkk View Post
                I have been discussing the second contract renewal with the client. Awesome client/project - excellent working environment.
                We agreed on extending it and I was expecting 6 more months as there is still a lot of work to do on the project but just received the contract from the agency and the End Date is is end of this year (about 11 extra work weeks).
                I am still to discuss this with the client as the new contract just came through.
                Did the client share your expectations of how long the extension was likely to be? Or were you just expecting it to be six months rather than three? If the client indicated that it would be six months then talk to them about why it's shorter, but if it was just based on your own expectations rather than anything that they said then it's a different situation.

                Originally posted by zonkkk View Post
                There are quite a few opportunities in my field at the moment with 6 months+ contracts and closer to home.

                What would you do?
                I'd look at other opportunities and see how likely it is that any of them will come off - if you could get a better, longer contract then you'd be daft to take a shorter, worse one. You haven't said how close you are to the end of your contract though, so it may be that nobody will be interesting if it's a way off.
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                Comment


                  #9
                  Z

                  In your words, "awesome client and excellent project".

                  This is great to hear and you will be surprised how many contractors I have seen leave great projects for more £££ somewhere else, only to then come back within a few months asking if they could return to our programme...

                  As per the other advice here, have a simple chat with them. Face to face, not email.

                  Something along the lines of

                  "Thanks for the contract extension, its a programme I really enjoy and happy to be part of. However, the extension only takes us to end of year?"

                  Leave it open, see what they reply. Dependent on that, you can then work on a 6 or 12 month extension.

                  All the best and do not under estimate how good it is to work somewhere you enjoy, that in itself is worth a lot.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I'm of the view that I'll stick with the client even it it would personally make sense to leave with an extension on the table because I can get another contract with a longer extension.

                    I'm new tho, so still happily naive.

                    Comment

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