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When did you decide to not renew a contract?

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    When did you decide to not renew a contract?

    Hello fellow contractors.

    I'm in a contract which hasn't started off on the right foot. I started recently but can already tell the assignment is easy, very slow paced environment and overall even borderline boring someone could say.

    If it doesn't pick up, I already know I will turn down a renewal (given that the client will offer one). In the meantime, I'll do my job to the best of my abilities, obviously, and I will finish the contract, I won't jump ship.

    Question to you: what's the quickest you have realised the contract you had started wasn't for you?

    #2
    The only case where I would turn down extension is if I have already signed another contract.

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      #3
      Day 1!

      I turned up, realised the work was nothing like as described in interview or on paper. Called the agent to quit at the end of the day and said I wouldn't charge the day I did work as a good will gesture.

      I have turned down extensions but, as Sal said, I too will generally only do that if I have something else lined up. Or, if I'm planning a break and have a healthy war chest. The climate is a bit too uncertain to swap a boring role for bench time.

      I would look for ways to make the work more interesting or, if you can WFH, do that as much as you can and work on a part time project either of your own or for another client.

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        #4
        Two weeks for me. Public sector gig.Left to get up to speed by myself for two weeks. Not a hint of any work to do. Stayed for 6 weeks while I implemented some generic processes that were missing and hurting them and left by mutual agreement.

        Another contractor that started same time as me managed to stick it out for a year and a bit by just doing very little but kept looking busy. Not for me that.

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          #5
          Once gave notice on a contract following a massive personality clash with a client manager. Never turned down an extension but at a couple of contracts would have done had one been offered as work was beginning to dry up but they came to a natural finish.

          In hindsight I went an extension too far at my longest ever contract of over two years.

          That all said, at the moment I would be tempted to stay where you are unless you fancy living off the war chest for a while.

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            #6
            I've done it twice out of twenty seven. First in Dec 2005. 3 Month contract completed and they wanted another 3 but my Dad had been just been diagnosed with lung cancer so I said no. IIRC the diagnosis & the renewal request happened the same day. I had nothing else to go to and precious little war-chest but I had some quality time where it mattered.

            Second time in 2008 I'd been working at a client for a year who had long since stopped having needed my skills but kept giving me other stuff to do. They wanted even more but I'd got a rare and ultimately successful bite from my website so I saw no thanks and followed that instead.

            I've certainly wanted to turn a few down since then and there have been some I'd wished kept going. For the most part then, I just grin (or grim) and bear it.

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              #7
              I've never quit a contract, or refused an extension, though I have came close a couple of times.

              I know some folk here hate this outlook, but I just prefer to see out a contract that I have signed, and if a client wants to keep me, I don't want to cause them hassle by having to replace me.

              My current contract I almost handed my notice in as the project initially was awful. Thankfully it picked up dramatically.

              Last contract was quite long, and the tech stack wasn't great. It was almost a relief when they finally stopped offering extensions. The money was just too good for my skills/location, and I just couldn't bring myself to leave on my own accord.

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                #8
                Once at renewal time when I had something better lined up.

                Once after 5 weeks when the client announced a 10% rate cut for hundreds of contractors.

                Once when the contract was not as described/agreed.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Not renewed twice -
                  1) wife was expecting and too much commuting
                  2) client asked me to pick up new project after completion of first one but it wasn’t for me

                  Resigned once
                  Client was tacking to much control on how the work was done

                  I have no reservations not extending if the time is right or good reason as I have done. Wouldn’t jump for a rate.



                  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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