HOW LONG YOU ARE IN BENCH ??...!!!!:confused:

[VectraMan]

I find it interesting that most of you seem to view bench time as something you want to avoid.

Well I did more or less 51 weeks last year, and towards the end whilst feeling burnt out and depressed I was thinking "I thought contracting meant more time off".

I see it as buying time: if you work whilst you can, that means that you'll be okay when in the future you can't work, or when you don't want to. At this point I could take a year off, probably longer, without it being a major hardship. When I was a permie I got the 4 weeks per year holiday, but I was a wage slave: I needed the job.

[Ardesco]

I find it interesting that most of you seem to view bench time as something you want to avoid. Personally being sat in an office is something I want to avoid, being able to afford bench time is the reason I went contracting in the first place. This makes me wonder why you guys are in the game at all, your life styles still consist mostly of having your nose to the grindstone; Apart from not being treated like crap by your client/employer what are you gaining by working all year in a contract role versus a permie role? More money sure, but what are you doing with it? Buying a shinier car to commute to work in?

Time is precious, don't spend so much of it at a desk in an office!

When I have paid of the mortgage, and got myself a nice stack of cash built up for a rainy day I'll be looking at more bench time. Unfortunately wife and kids are not cheap...

[swamp]

I had two weeks on bench

I had two weeks on the bench in January. Now three weeks into six month contract (I'm a developer.)

I think i was looking at the right time. In early Jan there were not many contracts, but even fewer people looking. My phone rang constantly for those early weeks.

In six months' time it will be a different story I'm sure...

[ChimpMaster]

Well I did more or less 51 weeks last year, and towards the end whilst feeling burnt out and depressed I was thinking "I thought contracting meant more time off".

I see it as buying time: if you work whilst you can, that means that you'll be okay when in the future you can't work, or when you don't want to. At this point I could take a year off, probably longer, without it being a major hardship. When I was a permie I got the 4 weeks per year holiday, but I was a wage slave: I needed the job.

VectraMan - that is very well put, and very much true to how I think. I also did 51 weeks last year, and it is very very tiring. For me, however, I know that contracting (maybe even IT ) has a limited lifespan due to the technology I work in. Hence I have to maximise my income while the opportunity is there, with the objective being to 'buy time' as you put it, to enable me to have more time off later or - more importantly - have a choice as to what I do with my life thereafter.

'Wage slave' ... a perfectly apt term!

[Spacecadet]

I find it interesting that most of you seem to view bench time as something you want to avoid. Personally being sat in an office is something I want to avoid, being able to afford bench time is the reason I went contracting in the first place. This makes me wonder why you guys are in the game at all, your life styles still consist mostly of having your nose to the grindstone; Apart from not being treated like crap by your client/employer what are you gaining by working all year in a contract role versus a permie role? More money sure, but what are you doing with it? Buying a shinier car to commute to work in?

Time is precious, don't spend so much of it at a desk in an office!

Apart from my first contract i've never been treated like crap
I enjoy working at least 90% of the time
I went in to contracting to avoid the daily grind stone of system monitoring and admin and work on specific projects at as many different companies as possible, generally the work is interesting and I'm learning a lot more than if i was a permie.

[shoes]

the objective being to 'buy time' as you put it, to enable me to have more time off later or - more importantly - have a choice as to what I do with my life thereafter.

'Wage slave' ... a perfectly apt term!

I can see this point of view but for me a year with no time off is a year wasted. Im looking to enjoy life now rather than when I've made enough to move on to something more enjoyable. Otherwise, when do you stop? How much is enough? If your day to day existence is the same as a permies you are also a wage slave even though you are contracting. Your motivation is different, but you are essentially the same. A permie works until they retire, and so do you. Your retirement arguably comes more quickly, but up until that point you are essentially living a permie life. I take the view that you never know what's around the corner, if I can enjoy time off this year I will plan to do so. Im not a permie with a bigger pay packet, Im a contractor!

[swamp]

Make hay while the sun shines. Take time off when the market goes tits-up.

[Archangel]

I'm a developer, not been on the bench at all. 19 years contracting.

[NickNick]

Bench Time

I've not been on the Bench for over three or four years now. But I only work a 9 month year, so YMMV.

Work is just the means that alllows me to have time off with the family.

NN

[rocktronAMP]

I've not been on the Bench for over three or four years now. But I only work a 9 month year, so YMMV.

Work is just the means that alllows me to have time off with the family.

NN

I have been on the bench 4,8, ... 12 weeks.
Of course it is harder if you are particular about your industry sector, city, location and of course rates.
I have also interviewed recently for permanent roles to beat the credit crunch. The trouble is, there is a lot more competition out there, and the see-saw has clearly swung to the client side in terms of certain demands of technological, business and soft skills.

I am still getting request for interviews and CV. So I actually think it is a numbers game, if any ...