Time on the bench

[BolshieBastard]

I don't. I don't really care where people live. I'm more interested in how long people have been on the bench. I presume if people have been benched for long enough they'd take a contract elsewhere anyway.

I think its flawed because clearly where you live can determine how frequently you are \ arent benched.

Like I said, in London, you'd have to be a real numpty to be benched. Further away, there's more chance.

As for taking a contract anywhere, yes, some would. You could equally argue some would take any rate ie sub 150 a day or less to stay off the bench.

Again, it illustrates the narrow definition of your question.

[lukemg]

It's grim ooop north.
5 months is longest, 4 monther too - fairly grim, about a year in total in the last 7. It was a year in 4 at one stage so things have been steadier recently.
Warchest is very plump so its not the money, I just get bored, its usually winter etc makes me worry about retiring, I need some hobbies !!

[flipFlop]

More than six clear years in central London.

[Antman]

brixton or wormwood scrubs?

[Freamon]

How about taking a few months to relax whilst keeping half an eye on the market and applying only for stuff that's too good to be missed?

I wouldn't count that as bench time as it's still by choice.

[BlasterBates]

It's grim ooop north.
5 months is longest, 4 monther too - fairly grim, about a year in total in the last 7. It was a year in 4 at one stage so things have been steadier recently.
Warchest is very plump so its not the money, I just get bored, its usually winter etc makes me worry about retiring, I need some hobbies !!

Absolutely, you need to join some groups. Going to meet them 3 or 4 times a week is enough, and have some hobby. I play music, but you could also do something like build websites. I dabbled a bit on that but I´m too busy doing music. Good fun organising gigs and recording new songs.

I could be unemployed for ever

[flipFlop]

brixton or wormwood scrubs?

Neither; we don't have any prisons in central London.

[nomadd]

Neither; we don't have any prisons in central London.

Central London is it's own prison.

[TransitTrucker]

It usually takes me 2 months to find the next contract. I am a bit choosy inasmuch as I won't tolerate a long journey to work (the journey time is unpaid as I see it). I live in the home counties in the Reading, Basingstoke, Newbury triange.

I have to say that is is usually the 'agency system' that causes the delay. Their working practices are awful (for them and for me). I get flooded daily with jobs that I can do with my eyes shut but don't get a look in because my CV hasn't got the right variant or spelling of the buzzword of the minute. When a "real" job arrives I get pestered until I take it. The time delay between "time waster postings" and a "real job" is averaging at 2 months. I just get on with the decorating, gardening, a little fishing . . .

[quackhandle]

It usually takes me 2 months to find the next contract. I am a bit choosy inasmuch as I won't tolerate a long journey to work (the journey time is unpaid as I see it). I live in the home counties in the Reading, Basingstoke, Newbury triange.

I have to say that is is usually the 'agency system' that causes the delay. Their working practices are awful (for them and for me). I get flooded daily with jobs that I can do with my eyes shut but don't get a look in because my CV hasn't got the right variant or spelling of the buzzword of the minute. When a "real" job arrives I get pestered until I take it. The time delay between "time waster postings" and a "real job" is averaging at 2 months. I just get on with the decorating, gardening, a little fishing . . .

Contracting in a nutshell.

qh