last week in current role - new contract starting next week

[Ken Dodd]

I was in contract until November, and happy to stay here until then. Told last week by my manager that I will be 'let go' at the end of the month, and 'would I mind handing-over to a perm that has just become available?'. I was 'reminded' that I was on a '1 week notice' contract but they felt that I should be allowed to work out the next three weeks (nice of them, but translates as 'gets us out of the tulipe'). Absolutely not a performance issue - just finances as the company is being screwed by the client (need to exit before the next month's funding kicks-in or no saving). Feeling 'down' at this point - state of market/summer holidays/how much money do I have? etc etc.

Completely co-incidentally, I had just submitted my CV for a new role. I interviwed for this over one lunchtime last week and was offerred the role the next day, with the usual '...and when can you start?' tagged on to the conversation. Thought about that for roughly one second and replied ' I am on 1 week's notice here,apparently, so how does next week sound?'. Feeling 'up' at this point - new 6month contract, 15% higher rate, new challenge etc etc.

The upshot of this is that I am now leaving on a date that suits me, not leaving on a date that suits my current ClientCo, and only two weeks ealier than expected. This seems to have upset a few people, who now need to try to understand what I do - and quickly. Over the last few days, I must have heard the words '...because you are leaving ealier than we thought' over a dozen times in different contexts, but mostly relating to how this is causing problems. I have pointed out to my current manager that I didn't want to go, and that said permy is not available for 6 out of the next 10 working days, and that 3 weeks is not really a long-enough window, which means no proper handover anyway. He still has a face like a slapped arse.......


No real point to this other than a general moan - oh and I have a new 6 moth contract!

[rd409]

First of all congrats on getting the new role. If the client is letting you go, that means there is no more business available for you. You might have had 1 months notice, but you are not obliged to accept any work from the client, so technically you could have walked out the next day itself. This is a standard reaction from someone who is at the losing end of a transaction. If a contractor is walked out, without being paid for the notice, then his/her face would be quite similar to what your manager is wearing.

I have had few agents p!ssed off because, they lost the revenue, but after few months, they do come back if they know you are worth pursuing. Just ignore the manager, and dont forget to get the timesheet signed off on the last day.

Congrats once again.

[jmo21]

Just a thought, is it definetly 1 week notice from your side as well?

I suppose not as you didn't mention it in your description of everyone at client co talking about you "leaving early".

[Fred Bloggs]

Good luck, don't worry.

[Clippy]

TBH, this is typical permie (manager) behaviour.

You can bet your bottom dollar they still wouldn't have had their act together if you had stayed for the 3 weeks they wanted.

Reminds me of when I quit my permie job to go contracting.

Gave them the months notice and as the weeks ticked I way it was obvious they hadn't made any plans for a replacement.

Lo and behold in my last week I get asked if I can do another few weeks!

Told them where to go and eventually, with a couple of days left, they get a temp in who I can handover to.

OP - as others have said don't worry about it.

[Ken Dodd]

Just a thought, is it definetly 1 week notice from your side as well?

I suppose not as you didn't mention it in your description of everyone at client co talking about you "leaving early".

"1 week notice from either party". I hadn't even realised this until it was mentioned to me and then I read the contract - I had assumed either 4 weeks or 'no notice' period. Ever the optimist.....

It's not a big deal, but I get the impression that they never thought the '1 week notice period' would be used by a contractor - I think they thought it worked in their favour only.

I am just annoyed that, even had I stayed for another two weeks, things would still not be handed over fully, due to the unavialbility of the new permy, which is poor planning in my view. That makes the comments about me 'leaving early' grate even more.

[northernladuk]

"1 week notice from either party". I hadn't even realised this until it was mentioned to me and then I read the contract - I had assumed either 4 weeks or 'no notice' period. Ever the optimist.....

I take it you have no idea if you are in/out of IR35 and couldn't give a monkies about your payment terms either?

[ChimpMaster]

Similar thing happened to me - client is cost cutting fast (read: getting rid of all contractors regardless of experience/knowledge or business impact). Contract runs out shortly, and have already been handing over to Bobs for a few weeks. Was offered a month's extension because it suited the client - seeing as they were starting to realise the scale of work required, which personally I thought was cheeky. I would have done it anyway because I had nothing lined up, but all of a sudden a higher paying 6 monther came out of the blue and there was no way I could turn that down!

But still, I hear a lot from the current client about how I "decided to leave" when in reality they are cutting me out of the equation. They felt like they were doing me a favour by offering me a month's extension, when in reality it was them that needed me to stay. They certainly feel let down but it's their fault for assuming such a heavy handover could be completed in such a short timeframe.

[BolshieBastard]

I was in contract until November, and happy to stay here until then. Told last week by my manager that I will be 'let go' at the end of the month, and 'would I mind handing-over to a perm that has just become available?'. I was 'reminded' that I was on a '1 week notice' contract but they felt that I should be allowed to work out the next three weeks (nice of them, but translates as 'gets us out of the tulipe'). Absolutely not a performance issue - just finances as the company is being screwed by the client (need to exit before the next month's funding kicks-in or no saving). Feeling 'down' at this point - state of market/summer holidays/how much money do I have? etc etc.

Completely co-incidentally, I had just submitted my CV for a new role. I interviwed for this over one lunchtime last week and was offerred the role the next day, with the usual '...and when can you start?' tagged on to the conversation. Thought about that for roughly one second and replied ' I am on 1 week's notice here,apparently, so how does next week sound?'. Feeling 'up' at this point - new 6month contract, 15% higher rate, new challenge etc etc.

The upshot of this is that I am now leaving on a date that suits me, not leaving on a date that suits my current ClientCo, and only two weeks ealier than expected. This seems to have upset a few people, who now need to try to understand what I do - and quickly. Over the last few days, I must have heard the words '...because you are leaving ealier than we thought' over a dozen times in different contexts, but mostly relating to how this is causing problems. I have pointed out to my current manager that I didn't want to go, and that said permy is not available for 6 out of the next 10 working days, and that 3 weeks is not really a long-enough window, which means no proper handover anyway. He still has a face like a slapped arse.......


No real point to this other than a general moan - oh and I have a new 6 moth contract!

LOL!

Its seems in a tulip market, everyone is bagging 15% plus rate increases.

[Wanderer]

new 6month contract, 15% higher rate, new challenge etc etc.

Boomed! Good work mate. Forget about the last job, the 1 week notice was there for a reason - if they can't handle it then that's their problem. Nothing to stop you offering to go back for a bit of consultancy (at a reassuringly expensive rate) though.