Do Long-Term contracts look good on your CV?

[TheFaQQer]

What happens if performance sucks?

You stop testing, then nothing has failed.

At least that's how a number of large government project I know of did it

[chineseJohn]

You're damn if you do and damned if you're not

I've been fortunate to have had some very good runs of contracts since I started in 2000.

I've had 1yr, 1m, 6.5yrs, 2.5yrs contracts with a 3yr perm in between one of those stints.

Some agents will say
- oh you've had some good contracts
- I see you've had a few permanent jobs

Some I swear don't believe I've been a contractor at all ...

you just can't win to be honest.

[rurffy]

I've been fortunate to have had some very good runs of contracts since I started in 2000.

I've had 1yr, 1m, 6.5yrs, 2.5yrs contracts with a 3yr perm in between one of those stints.

Some agents will say
- oh you've had some good contracts
- I see you've had a few permanent jobs

Some I swear don't believe I've been a contractor at all ...


you just can't win to be honest.

6YEARS contracting with a Single gig?hmmmmmmmm

[AnthonyQuinn]

Just completed a year at good old radders (I think a congrats is in order NLUK).

I have another 6 months which will take me up to December.

Is this something that future clientcos will see as a good thing and will it help me get future gigs?

More often than not, yes. It looks good to have long contracts. Whether that's what the clients SHOULD BE looking at I don't know. But they do consider it favorably in my experience.

[Troll]

"What happens if it fails?"

• Throw more tin at it
• Beat the DBA up
• Blame it on transient network slowdowns

Seem to be the stock answers - any more?

[d000hg]

Extensions/renewals would suggest to any client that you were delivering. So I'd focus on that rather than the duration aspect, and especially on times you returned to a former client.

[chineseJohn]

6YEARS contracting with a Single gig?hmmmmmmmm

Yeap it was 6 years. Couldn't complain I managed to get about 5 business trips abroad with the place

I think I had 3 months initial, 6 months, then a load of 12 month extensions ending in a 3 month one. Then I left on my own accord.

Though mine wasn't very long at this place. One colleague clocked up 19 years before going perm. he would have gone perm 2-3 years sooner but there was a headcount freeze, so he continued contracting.

[northernladuk]

Yeap it was 6 years. Couldn't complain I managed to get about 5 business trips abroad with the place

I think I had 3 months initial, 6 months, then a load of 12 month extensions ending in a 3 month one. Then I left on my own accord.

Though mine wasn't very long at this place. One colleague clocked up 19 years before going perm. he would have gone perm 2-3 years sooner but there was a headcount freeze, so he continued contracting.

I would be very worried about long term assignments with a client that has a headcount freeze on. They can't take on permies so they take on contractors to fill the spots permies would be in if they can recruit..... Doesn't look good at all that.

I struggle to be treated like and act like a business after 3 years let alone 6. Have to be pretty exceptional set of contracts and evidence to argue against disguised permie with those numbers IMO. Possible but the longer the time the harder it becomes.

[chineseJohn]

I would be very worried about long term assignments with a client that has a headcount freeze on. They can't take on permies so they take on contractors to fill the spots permies would be in if they can recruit..... Doesn't look good at all that.

It was a strange place but I agree not great on the IR35 front. They sort of became dependant on contractors. They tried to convert a load of them over to permie, some declined but a few did go for it. I declined on the attempt to convert me, they said they would recruit a permie to fill my position, I was fine with it. 3 years later I was still there. I think my position is now a permie.

[yasockie]

I've had repeated business from some of my old clients.
With gaps, but it spans 6 years now, I dare say it only says good things about how they value my business, it also forms a very nice B2B relationship.