An unfortunate contract tale

[d000hg]

they had found a permie replacement for me. The permie had been working on another project which had been suddenly pulled. The permie needed no handover period, so I was "free to go"


This sort of practice is becoming commonplace, so for anyone thinking of entering the wonderful world of highly paid contract work TAKE NOTE. Us contractors get treated like disposable numbers.

It's annoying but I don't see any way to make this seem unfair. The whole point of contractors is to fill in the gaps, you thought they should let the permie twiddle their thumbs while they paid for both of you?

[escapeUK]

I'm a wee bit cheesed off right now. A couple of weeks ago I was hauled into my line managers office at 1715 on a Monday and told that I had done a really great job but was no longer needed as they had found a permie replacement for me. The permie had been working on another project which had been suddenly pulled. The permie needed no handover period, so I was "free to go"


I was on a one weeks notice contract, but because of the bank holiday, was only paid for 4 days...

Id love it if that happened to me, especially this time of year. What is the problem? Take a few months off, enjoy the summer and start again in the Autumn.

[dack]

I'm a wee bit cheesed off right now. A couple of weeks ago I was hauled into my line managers office at 1715 on a Monday and told that I had done a really great job but was no longer needed as they had found a permie replacement for me. The permie had been working on another project which had been suddenly pulled. The permie needed no handover period, so I was "free to go"


I was on a one weeks notice contract, but because of the bank holiday, was only paid for 4 days...


My tale is not unique. This sort of practice is becoming commonplace, so for anyone thinking of entering the wonderful world of highly paid contract work TAKE NOTE. Us contractors get treated like disposable numbers.

You're a business and this is how business works. They didn't employee you, they hired your company to provide a suitably experienced and skilled resource. When that resource was no longer needed, as per the contract, they give your company the required notice.

It's not surprising that IR35 and the alike manage to take grip when so many contractors don’t see themselves as a business.

[MarillionFan]

Hey amigo, I know that!!

The point of my post is to educate anyone who thinks that life's a bowl of cherries when you're a contractor. And also how the market has changed over the last 10+ years.

I always used to get a minimum of a 6 month contract (normally 12) and even that is a thing of the past. A 3 month seems normal now, or even contract lengths which are counted in 'weeks' instead of 'months'

You need to get in more with the people who make the decisions. Make them feel guilty about their decisions, if you act like an unemotional automaton then you're more easily disposable.

[krytonsheep]

Us contractors get treated like disposable numbers.

You should be prepared to have a contract terminated at any minute, that way there's never any surprises.

if you act like an unemotional automaton then you're more easily disposable.

The flip-side is, they're more likely to re-hire you because you don't act like a permietractor

[d000hg]

It's not surprising that IR35 and the alike manage to take grip when so many contractors don’t see themselves as a business.

That's because they aren't. They're contractors who happen to work through a Ltd due to the details of English law. In other nations they'd be self-employed but still be contractors.

I'm not saying they are employees, but they're not businesses either... they're contractors. Nothing wrong with that.

[dack]

True, but as you say, under the laws of this country, we have to operate as a business and so have to accept that's how firms will regard and treat us.

[TykeMerc]

I'm a wee bit cheesed off right now. A couple of weeks ago I was hauled into my line managers office at 1715 on a Monday and told that I had done a really great job but was no longer needed as they had found a permie replacement for me. The permie had been working on another project which had been suddenly pulled. The permie needed no handover period, so I was "free to go"


I was on a one weeks notice contract, but because of the bank holiday, was only paid for 4 days...


My tale is not unique. This sort of practice is becoming commonplace, so for anyone thinking of entering the wonderful world of highly paid contract work TAKE NOTE. Us contractors get treated like disposable numbers.

That's part of the business and entirely to be expected. My last gig finished despite renewals being discussed because the client had a bunch of permie PM's became available after a major programme was shut down unexpectedly. Handed over and left as friends.
As a contractor I'm a disposable resource brought in to fill gaps or handle weird stuff. If the gap is no longer there it's exactly what I expect. Sure it's a bit disappointing, but it's what my business revolves around.

[d000hg]

True, but as you say, under the laws of this country, we have to operate as a business and so have to accept that's how firms will regard and treat us.

I don't think contractors ARE regarded or treated as businesses by clients. Certainly not by agencies. I think they are regarded and treated like contractors/freelancers i.e. hire as needed, fire when not.

HSBC have a more B2B relationship with their toilet cleaners and the guy that stocks the vending machine than their contractors.