Average Contract Length

[zamzummim]

I've been contracting since 2003, my average contract length (including extensions) has been around 12 months, some are 18 and others 9 months, I must admit mostly I get bored or something and leave the client after 12 to 18 months, only once I was not extended after 12 months due to budget cuts. Wondered what everyone's else's average stay with a client, I keep meeting contractors who were 3 or 4 years contracting with the same client, I wonder if it looks negative on my CV to have an average of a 1 year stay? I know am not a permie, but I wonder how client opinion on this?

[northernladuk]

You have done well with those then. Over the last few years I have had one 9 monther, a few 6 and a few 3 monthers. It's just the type of work I do and expect it to be like this for awhile to come. I don't mind, always seems to be something out there even if it is a distance.

Why would 1 year look bad to a client? A crap load of 3 monthers should worry him more. The clients opinion will be if you can do the role he has and can stay the term you are ok in his book. If you hop constantly you look like a rate chaser and therefore a risk to him.

[Wanderer]

I wonder if it looks negative on my CV to have an average of a 1 year stay?

No, absolutely not.

When pitching to a client I'd tell them, "I've spent 9 to 18 months with each of my last clients. I commit to doing jobs and stay on until they are done". If a client wants someone to stay for more than a year then they would get a permie in there!

[malvolio]

You have done well with those then. Over the last few years I have had one 9 monther, a few 6 and a few 3 monthers. It's just the type of work I do and expect it to be like this for awhile to come. I don't mind, always seems to be something out there even if it is a distance.

Why would 1 year look bad to a client? A crap load of 3 monthers should worry him more. The clients opinion will be if you can do the role he has and can stay the term you are ok in his book. If you hop constantly you look like a rate chaser and therefore a risk to him.

Depends also on what you do for a living. Most of my work is around process improvement or getting stalled/failing projects back and working properly again. If I'm there for a long time, or have to go back, it's because I got something wrong.

However if you're more into ongoing production and can turn out effective and efficient work reliably on demand, why wouldn't a client keep you around? Far better to use someone you know can do the job to some unknown replacement.

[VectraMan]

Let's think: 5 months, 7 months, 18 months, 1 month(client went bust), 7 months, 6 months.

My last contract was with the same client as the first, which if anybody ever bothered to work it out must look like a good thing.

Perhaps longer contracts make you look more like a bum on seat type contractor and less like somebody who can come and do a particular project start to finish. My 18 month contract was replacing another contractor who'd been doing the job for 10 years.

[nomadd]

I've been contracting since 2003, my average contract length (including extensions) has been around 12 months, some are 18 and others 9 months, I must admit mostly I get bored or something and leave the client after 12 to 18 months...

Been contracting since 1989. Had two contracts that went on for 4.5 years each; one I left in the end due to boredom, the other due to budget cuts. Most of the rest have been in the typical 1-1.5 year range, some longer, some less.

I'd say that, generally, the shift has been to shorter contracts overall in recent years. Mostly do banking now, where the minimum is usually 6 months, and "typical" is probably 12-24 months. Outside of banking, 3 month'ers seem to be the norm, usually with a few renewals on offer.

[nomadd]

Perhaps longer contracts make you look more like a bum on seat type contractor and less like somebody who can come and do a particular project start to finish.

Or perhaps they make you look more senior and professional, as you can handle large, enterprise-class projects and not bail out on the client half way through?

As ever, it works both ways.

[curtis]

I know it depends obviously on the role you do but I got into contracting to not be stuck at the majority of jobs for a year plus as I get very bored in jobs with the same office, people etc, I would stick to permie if that was the case and had mainly very long contracts.

I love the short contracts mixed in with a few longer ones and for me longer means 9 months to a year+, I've had 1 job over a year and it felt like a permie job in the end.

Mine so far have been 1 month, 6 months, 15 months, 3 months and 3 months.

Again I know it depends on what you do but why would a load of 3 monthers look bad if its a job and thats how long they needed you for then thats all you do there, you can't force people to keep you on this is how I work as a contractor.

Surely as someone else said the main thing for most clients is that you can do what they need you for. I would expect if they were hiring a permie to take more notice of how long they were in previous jobs and be concerned if there were ones for short periods but not as a contractor.

[Barley]

Interesting thread and a good read.

I have been contracting 4 years and have been 3 months, 9 months, 6 months, 6 months, 3 months (current 10 months and offer of renewal).

When looking for this contract I was given feedback following one interview that my contract lengths went against me. Though I don’t think this was the clincher for not getting the role as I was close but lost out to a 'better' candidate.

I hear of people being in long term contracts but its been the Holy Grail for me and only just found a longer term one with my latest role (could ultimately be 18 months).

I wouldn’t want anything longer that 18 months as I also get bored, but longer term stability means I can save more and plan for maybe a 3 month break. Its also good stability in the current climate.

[Gaz_M]

I know it depends obviously on the role you do but I got into contracting to not be stuck at the majority of jobs for a year plus as I get very bored in jobs with the same office, people etc, I would stick to permie if that was the case and had mainly very long contracts.
I love the short contracts mixed in with a few longer ones and for me longer means 9 months to a year+, I've had 1 job over a year and it felt like a permie job in the end.

Mine so far have been 1 month, 6 months, 15 months, 3 months and 3 months.

Again I know it depends on what you do but why would a load of 3 monthers look bad if its a job and thats how long they needed you for then thats all you do there, you can't force people to keep you on this is how I work as a contractor.

Surely as someone else said the main thing for most clients is that you can do what they need you for. I would expect if they were hiring a permie to take more notice of how long they were in previous jobs and be concerned if there were ones for short periods but not as a contractor.

Could not agree more with your first paragraph. People say to me I must have gone contracting purely for the money but my honest top reason is how bored I get in any role over a year (in fact, six months is closer to the truth).
My current gig is due to end in March which will be 11 months but there is talk of a six month extension. It's commutable (which is very rare for me) & the rate is good but the thought of 6 more months of this could drive me to the bottle once and for all.