What are the main things that will attract you to your next contract role?

[PerfectStorm]

Money

Quick interview - are you going to make it a 30 minuter about the project before deviating into our hobbies (good) or have a panel interview (bad) or more than one interview stage (very bad)

Remote working

Are you culturally about 'getting things done' or writing documents? As there's a difference. I don't want to be in endless arguments with Doris from PMO about some document that no one will ever read.

[jayn200]

Money comes first. I do agree once that's met an extra 50-100 a day probably wouldn't have a lot of influence on me (but an extra 150+ would).

Personally at this stage I would prefer to deliver projects to execs and heads of departments rather than middle managers and would prefer to have ownership over the technical component of the project... But that's personal.. you can't really do anything about this.

Remote or in office doesn't matter if the office location is local, but travel time is critical. If it's more than 30 mins to get there then remote outside key client meetings would be highly preferable.

Also agree about the client actually treating the engagement like a proper supplier engagement. All i care about is delivering value to the client, that's it. Don't want to participate in any extras except the odd night out at the pub.

[NotAllThere]

At my stage in life, a good pension plan... But i'm permie and I've got one.

I'm working with a client to help them improve their capabilities in attracting, recruiting and retaining people, especially contractors. I'm interested to know what specific things about an organisation or contract role are most likely to influence you to apply for your next role?

Concerning the retaining, which has triggered NLUK , do you mean "a contractor who we'd use again and again for his/her special skills and ability". I had one of those for fifteen years. The client once asked me to go on a course, so I'd be in a position to work on a new project. Another time, they asked me to work on some new technology on which I had no experience - but I did have a few papers that had been published about it.

Quick interview - are you going to make it a 30 minuter about the project before deviating into our hobbies (good) or have a panel interview (bad) or more than one interview stage (very bad)

Worse, technical tests. If I'm no good, terminate the contract. I'm not a permie.

Are you culturally about 'getting things done' or writing documents? As there's a difference. I don't want to be in endless arguments with Doris from PMO about some document that no one will ever read.

Tricky in a validated environment where, e.g., the FDA insist on this crap.

[jamesbrown]

Darren_Test and I agree that it's the car parking.

[GregRickshaw]

Always the same for me, interest in project and WFH options.

[GregRickshaw]

Worse, technical tests. If I'm no good, terminate the contract. I'm not a permie.

100% this... I simply refuse to meet the client if they ask for any kind of tech test.

[SussexSeagull]

To cut to the chase, money.

However if you want to stop contractors jumping ship once you have them signed up then make sure your managers treat them like Contractors and not another permanent member of staff. We are there to do a task, not fill a seat or go to team meetings (visits to pubs can be decided on a case by case basis).

[NotAllThere]

... (visits to pubs can be decided on a case by case basis).

When I was a permie hiring manager, I insisted on them joining us. And buying the beer - or at least the first few rounds.

[courtg9000]

What would attract me?
Say £5,000 for doing what I already do all day long now. (The telegraph crossword, coffee drinking and posting on here from time to time - the joys of retirement

[SussexSeagull]

When I was a permie hiring manager, I insisted on them joining us. And buying the beer - or at least the first few rounds.

The industry giveth and the industry taketh away.