Do/Should you always accept extensions?!

[Platypus]

I was in last contract for nearly 10 years, albeit several different projects. Simply easy to extend on a reasonable rate.

Same here. Or rather, I'm still am at the same place.

Important in long contracts to keep skills refreshed.

Cough

[AnonAgent]

The one project on my CV that I get questions about is the four week one I did between gigs. It was one of my best ones, though - come in, fix this list of problems, then go away. Loved it, but agents don't understand this concept of "expert consultancy"

Agents ask the question because the clients ask the question. Trust me, if we didnt get CVs rejected time and time again for these reasons, we wouldnt be doing our job if we didnt ask. The best agents will ask, understand then pass on the information when required or at the initial stage.

[Emigre]

Cough

Yes, learnt the hard way!

[Spikeh]

I've always been a bit ruthless. In my first contract I made the mistake of renewing, then leaving a week later because a much better opportunity came up (10x the rate and from a Classic ASP -> ASP.NET role). I've also tried to negotiate rate increases a few times on contract extension due to distance travelled / expenses (1 out of 3 have been successful), but since then I've learned to just wait around a little bit until I find something more suitable, rather than take the first thing that comes along and try to make it better while I'm there.

Since then, I've accepted contracts and extensions based upon the project and skills I'm using. If I find myself bored or left with little to do, I don't accept an extension. If I've got loads to do and I'm learning new stuff, I keep going; it's good for my business. It also depends on how I get on with the client, the length of the extension and what else I have going on in my life too, but I rarely do it just for the money. I run a few other businesses, so I have a little bit of leeway, though contracting is still my main LOB.

If a client looks at my CV and has a problem with the number of contracts I've had (I've had long ones and short ones), then it's their loss; I've ten-fold the experience of the vast majority of permies I meet... and I've only ever met one other contractor that I can honestly say I had any respect for in terms of their attitude and skills.

I was offered an extension in the last place I worked, on the condition that I changed my working hours from 7:30am - 4:00pm (with hardly any lunch) to 9:00am - 5:15pm with an hour for lunch. I did not negotiate (for many reasons more than just IR35), so they didn't extend me. I'm very careful to distinguish myself from permie employees, and if taking the extension puts me in a sensitive situation, I walk away.

Clients really need to be educated as to what a contractor is; and *all* contractors need to make it clear to their clients that it's a B2B relationship, and stop bowing down to every single request from a client. If you don't have the confidence to present yourself as a business, then don't contract.

[AnonAgent]

So basically...if it makes business sense to extend, then extend. Depends on the situation at the time. Ive rarely had the clients i work with be angry / annoyed if someone turns down an extension. And as most of the contracts I run are at 3 months - despite me always pushing for a minimum of 6 - then they can only blame themselves. I dont agree with anyone leaving a contract half way through though for a reason that is purely for another role, i think that is a bad move.