handing notice in, is it common?

[robin]

A friend of mine is handing their notice in 'again' in a contract they have, this is the second time in the last 4 contracts they have had. I have not been contracting long but so far have stayed in every one although the current one is a bit tough.

Now I know it has been debated many times before on here on the handing notice in/or not situation but what I wanted to know was who has done it? Is it more common than I think it is for people to leave contracts as I get the feeling most always stay till the end.

How long have you been contracting and how many times have you handed your notice in on a contract?

[Magic]

A friend of mine is handing their notice in 'again' in a contract they have, this is the second time in the last 4 contracts they have had. I have not been contracting long but so far have stayed in every one although the current one is a bit tough.

Now I know it has been debated many times before on here on the handing notice in/or not situation but what I wanted to know was who has done it? Is it more common than I think it is for people to leave contracts as I get the feeling most always stay till the end.

How long have you been contracting and how many times have you handed your notice in on a contract?

No it should not be common, myself twice in 18 years and that was to get out just before the end of projects for other really good gigs.

[BolshieBastard]

In over 13 years contracting I've only done it once and that was within the last few weeks of the contract. The PM was an absolute ***** so left before the end.

But, if someone has handed in their notice twice after 4 contracts, they shouldnt be contracting imo.

[TestMangler]

I've done it twice in 17 years. Once when I needed to leave a week early to take up another gig (they said i couldn't when I asked, but the 14 day notice period meant I could if I wanted) and once because the job was tulip and I had a better gig to go to. Probably not something that should be done too often though.

[northernladuk]

We don't know the reasons which makes a huge difference but I would say from the limited information it is a pretty unprofessional thing to do. Just imagine how f'd off he would be if he was having an extension built and he had two lots of builders hand notice in and leave before it was done.

I would seriously hope this sort of thing will come back and bite him in the future but for some reason this never seems to happen.

As I say it is down to the reasons but just rate hunting at the clients expense is pretty poor IMHO..

Am sure in a few posts time someone will say good on him, there is only number one to think of etc etc but that isn't my ethic.

[curtis]

For me I've been contracting 3 years I have never handed in my notice and always left if I wanted to escape at the end of the contract even if that meant I had to turn down a renewal.

Like someone said it does depend on exact reasons and part of why we are contractors is because we don't have to put up with tulip as much.

I always try to grin and bear it with bad contracts to the end as I always look at it as I know at some point I will hit one or a few VERY VERY bad contracts and will have to leave early (for my sanity)and don't want to add to those many others that I have handed my notice in to leave when really I could have just managed it till the end even if it was difficult. Its a big world but a small world also and don't want to get a reputation.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

I really don't think it is as black and white as made out in some of the posts.

In my first contract I was extended twice and in the third period the work really dried up and there was only some tulip support work to do (for which there were plenty of permies around to complete). I asked if I could leave at short notice for another contract and they said it was fine. I only had a couple of weeks left on the contract anyway...

In my previous contract I had one weeks notice and I negotiated to leave in 2 weeks in order to complete the work I had started.

I don't see how any of the above is problematic. However, if you suddenly leave midway through a contract and totally leave the client in the lurch then I can see how this can be bad.

[Support Monkey]

not really handed notice but I have walked twice once after 4 hours and once after the first day, i think you generally know if you have made a mistake, if its ok after the first day it runs until the contract ends, of course with times the way they are some people have taken poor rates to get a contract and then they see somehting better and their out of there

[inferno]

I really don't think it is as black and white as made out in some of the posts.

In my first contract I was extended twice and in the third period the work really dried up and there was only some tulip support work to do (for which there were plenty of permies around to complete). I asked if I could leave at short notice for another contract and they said it was fine. I only had a couple of weeks left on the contract anyway...

In my previous contract I had one weeks notice and I negotiated to leave in 2 weeks in order to complete the work I had started.

I don't see how any of the above is problematic. However, if you suddenly leave midway through a contract and totally leave the client in the lurch then I can see how this can be bad.

This. I did it once but only because I had been doing what can only be described as admin work for a month and didn't look like anything was going to change any sooner. Having said that I won't want to do it again unless I really, really had to.

I know someone who chops and changes like the wind but still manages to get good rates at good places. Sure it'll catch up eventually.

[ChimpMaster]

This. I did it once but only because I had been doing what can only be described as admin work for a month and didn't look like anything was going to change any sooner. Having said that I won't want to do it again unless I really, really had to.

I know someone who chops and changes like the wind but still manages to get good rates at good places. Sure it'll catch up eventually.

Can't say I've handed in notice but I have twice refused an extension - both with good reason. In the first instance it was to get to a contract local to home, and in the second instance it was because clientco were taking the p1ss by offering a tulipe contract renewal, so I found a better one and said See ya!