Perm to Contracting - When did you give notice?

[malvolio]

Fair enough. Best of luck!

[MrButton]

Just start looking and see what happens. You may get lucky. My first contract waited 10 weeks! But that’s not common. I’d expect to really ramp up your search when you only have 2 weeks notice left.

I’d also say you will want more than 1 months worth of money backup! Contracts do fall though and get canned early. But it’s your risk appetite.

[GhostofTarbera]

What’s the penalty clause in your existing employer contract? If you leave early

£0 I thought so - remember it might take several weeks from when you get initial offer to your 1st day on site to pass screening

+ don’t mention your family at the interview


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[Slinky]

What’s the penalty clause in your existing employer contract? If you leave early

£0 I thought so - remember it might take several weeks from when you get initial offer to your 1st day on site to pass screening

+ don’t mention your family at the interview


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Thanks yes I will be careful not to mention the kids and will deactivate social media accounts when I start looking too just incase they go searching and find out.

I have checked the contract and there is no mention of penalties.

That's interesting to hear about screening times, a lot of things i've read on here say they want people to start immediately. If it takes weeks that suits me fine.

I'll be putting my CV up up in a couple of weeks so time will tell.

[WLB2018]

Hi,

My last perm role had 3 months notice attached to it, I lost out on contract after contract as no one was willing to wait. I took some legal advice and was told that my contract's notice period was not legally binding and that my current employer could not stop me leaving early to start a new role. The only caveat to that was IF my employer decided too they could take me to court and seek back losses caused by me leaving my role early.

That being said the chances of that happening are really slim, its more time and effort to prove losses (though again that depends on what role you do). I negotiated with my employer and said I would be leaving in a month, but due to holiday entitlement I would actually leave in 2 weeks - they were not happy (I can see their side of this), however I agreed I would be available to them for another month in the event there were issues, or if they needed help/advice.

My suggestion is have someone check your T&C's of employment and see if you can leave early. That or hold out for someone willing to wait....

Good luck either way and welcome to contracting You will wish you did it years ago!

WLB

[malvolio]

Thanks yes I will be careful not to mention the kids and will deactivate social media accounts when I start looking too just incase they go searching and find out.

I have checked the contract and there is no mention of penalties.

That's interesting to hear about screening times, a lot of things i've read on here say they want people to start immediately. If it takes weeks that suits me fine.

I'll be putting my CV up up in a couple of weeks so time will tell.

GoT works exclusively in London's finance sector, so his views on more typical clients are a little suspect. Most work will be looking for start times within a week.

And don't be scared to mention the family if it imposes any kind of limit on your working week; you are not there to work 9-5, if flexibility is important for any reason then your client needs to understand that. Although you hear scare stories, it is rarely a problem once you have established that you can do the job properly. You're there to deliver stuff, not occupy desk space.

[quackhandle]

If I quit my job without securing a contract and didn’t get one we would be in trouble.

You may get lucky and get a 6 or 12 month gig and that will enable you to build your warchest up, however there is a flip side.

You get a new gig, but market forces have pulled your contract, you are out on your arse after 1/2 weeks. You then spend the next 3-6 or even 12 months looking for the next one. How would your finances cope? Do you have a warchest? Could you cope mentally? Not trying to frighten you but if you read some stories on here (and do read them), they might make you think twice. And yes, I've been there as well, I still shudder at 2009.

Remember that contracting isn't really about "trying it out to earn more money" it is actually running a business. And it's a state of mind. Yes the money helps, of course it does but don't become too focused on that, you will come unstuck. Most people come on here thinking they want to "go contracting" but really they just need a change of job.

Good luck. Seriously, good luck.

qh

[northernladuk]

And don't be scared to mention the family if it imposes any kind of limit on your working week; you are not there to work 9-5, if flexibility is important for any reason then your client needs to understand that. Although you hear scare stories, it is rarely a problem once you have established that you can do the job properly. You're there to deliver stuff, not occupy desk space.

I wish more people would get this. Pisses me right off when contractors tell a client there is no problems and then rock up on site and are demanding WFH for x days after a week or two on site. The client doesn't appreciate it even though they would have been happy to accommodate if it had been mentioned in the interview and nor do other contractors that get tarred with the same brush because of it.

Happened on a gig where two guys back to back joined saying a trip halfway down the country wasn't an issue and within 2 weeks both needed 2-3 days WFH, which within 2 months had turned in to 5 days WFH. The client was then turning down applicants that had to stay away and favouring less skilled people just because they were local.

[Old Greg]

I got my contract through on a Friday morning. I negotiated my permie notice period down from 3 months to half a day, got the Ltd set up at lunchtime and started on the Monday.

[vwdan]

I went the opposite route to most people - I actually extended my notice period. Obviously there was a very specific set of circumstances, but that doesn't really matter. The point is that as soon as I had a firm date, I cracked on - sorted my LinkedIn out, got my CV everywhere, set up my Ltd and started applying for stuff with that date in mind.

Obviously, when I was still several months out nobody was particularly interested but that's no problem. There's no harm in being in the back of peoples minds, and getting used to the process.

As "luck" would have it, a couple of weeks before my last day I picked up a contract and agreed a start date on the Monday after my last Friday.

I don't really "agree" with the idea of binning your notice period to go contracting - yeah, negotiating a 2 - 3 months into a month notice for a permie job is one thing - trying to get away within a week....that feels like a dick move to me. And the world is small, afterall.