How many of you are Benched?

[chef]

Been on the bench since Dec 1st, so thats just over 2 months, I'm perfectly happy, had a nice Christmas and new year, got some stuff sorted around the house and accounts up to date. Had a job offer come through last week back at last client co based on previous colleagues high recommendations, the project seems likely to be most of this year and then phase 2 taking up most of 2014. Contract between client and agency is confirmed as in place as of yesterday, awaiting agency to pull their finger out and get my contract sorted then its booking flights and back to work on Monday. Just enough time to celebrate Karneval this weekend.. Perfect.

[BlasterBates]

In conclusion therefore the market seems to be volatile rather than universally bad, with lots of contractors probably mainly from banks having been benched recently and clogging up the market, with one or two sectors doing rather well.

[d000hg]

It would be kind of cool as a bespoke addon to the forum software, if you could set an additional 'employment status' item on your profile... 'benched', 'permie', 'contracting', 'retired', 'pretending to be retired with part time consultancy but actually working in Tesco', etc.

[Clippy]

I'm not benched, but have had a marked decrease in gig offers coming in. I usually don't even look at jobserve etc anymore as I've got to a point where the calls come in.

This time last year I was out for a good 11 months tho - it was a test of nerve.

Did pimps ask you to explain this break in your work history? If so, what did you say?

Same question to anyone else who has been out for a few months or more recently.

[SandyD]

Does anyone remember some threads years ago (around 2001) when many of us had to constantly justify why we chose to be contractors, seems now its the norm and no one bothers asking me this.
Anyway, one of the answers people usually replied is because they wanted to work when they feel like it and take time off between project, some said they wanted to work only 6 months of the year and the rest of the year go travelling etc ...hmmmmm the good old days when contractors could afford to take 6 months off every year...

[Wanderer]

Did pimps ask you to explain this break in your work history? If so, what did you say?

Same question to anyone else who has been out for a few months or more recently.

I haven't had too much trouble with those questions in recent years. You definitely want to bring closure to those lines of questioning so just have a fairly mundane back story ready to fill in the time. Joke that no, you weren't in prison and you were simply taking time off to renovate a run down house that you were living in, care for your distant relative who is now dead, launch a plan B that went titsup, etc. Taking a well earned break to do some study (helps if you pick up a qualification or two while not working) is a favourite because it normally gets an approving nod because you've used your downtime productively.

Whatever you do, don't mention anything that implies a personal problem or anything which could have an impact on your medium to long term ability to work. Sickness, burn out, mental illness, computer gaming/internet forum(!) addiction, couldn't be arsed working, problems with a close family member aren't going to be great ones to come out with.

I'm also a bit wary of making too much of the fact that I've been fortunate enough to take some extended holidays because it can piss wage slaves off to hear that you spent 6 months on an idyllic beach having your feet massaged by nubile young women while smoking doobies.

[BolshieBastard]

Does anyone remember some threads years ago (around 2001) when many of us had to constantly justify why we chose to be contractors, seems now its the norm and no one bothers asking me this.
Anyway, one of the answers people usually replied is because they wanted to work when they feel like it and take time off between project, some said they wanted to work only 6 months of the year and the rest of the year go travelling etc ...hmmmmm the good old days when contractors could afford to take 6 months off every year...

Last year after a successful interview, I told Pro Partners to GTF when they demanded I provide a "character witness" to why I had a 3 month gap in my cv roughly 3 years previously. They said it was the client wanting to know but, the client already knew because I'd explained at the interview and they were the first client I worked for after that gap 3 years previous.

So the divvies still act up and wont take 'its a lifestyle choice' as an answer (or at least Proj Partners dont!).

[SandyD]

Last year after a successful interview, I told Pro Partners to GTF when they demanded I provide a "character witness" to why I had a 3 month gap in my cv roughly 3 years previously. They said it was the client wanting to know but, the client already knew because I'd explained at the interview and they were the first client I worked for after that gap 3 years previous.

So the divvies still act up and wont take 'its a lifestyle choice' as an answer (or at least Proj Partners dont!).

Actually yes some companies (especially banks) do expect you to explain all gaps in the last 10 years, some American banks even expect a proper explanation for gaps in the whole of your career even if it was 20 years ago, even if you explained it to the client, the company expects the agency to do all the background checks and provide them with a satisfactory reports.

Anyway a personal character witness is an easy thing, why didn't you get a friend of yours to write them a reference or whatever they wanted?

[Scrag Meister]

My current contract ends Mid-March, will start putting out feelers re extensions Mid-February, and hit Jobserve a week later.

[BolshieBastard]

Actually yes some companies (especially banks) do expect you to explain all gaps in the last 10 years, some American banks even expect a proper explanation for gaps in the whole of your career even if it was 20 years ago, even if you explained it to the client, the company expects the agency to do all the background checks and provide them with a satisfactory reports.

Anyway a personal character witness is an easy thing, why didn't you get a friend of yours to write them a reference or whatever they wanted?

Er, I've been working in banking for the last 10 years. Proj Partners were the only agency to ask for a 'character witness' for the gap. I've worked for the largest US bank and others since then and not one has asked for such a thing as a character witness for a break so I dont agree with you.