Would this be poor form?

[psychocandy]

If your contracts rely upon repeat business from the same clients, then yes, I agree that jacking is bad for business.

However, if you very rarely (if ever) perform work for the same client twice, please explain precisely how "jacking a gig" is bad for business?

What if you ever need that repeat business though?

But I agree that in MOST cases its not that bad. Agents don't remember/care after a week but a client probably will. Not sure if I agree that 'word gets around' clients so much either.

But I think its not something you should do for fun such as if new client is £10 more per day or some other silly reason.

[billybiro]

What if you ever need that repeat business though?

But what if you don't? If the gig is truly bad, or another significantly better gig is waiting in the wings, you can't spend your life seeing out bad gigs just on the off-chance you'll need to maintain a good reputation with the client.

But I agree that in MOST cases its not that bad. Agents don't remember/care after a week but a client probably will. Not sure if I agree that 'word gets around' clients so much either.

But I think its not something you should do for fun such as if new client is £10 more per day or some other silly reason.

I'm not suggesting that "jacking gigs" should be done all the time or simply on a whim, and it certainly shouldn't be done without great consideration, but to suggest that one should never "jack a gig" (as some in this thread seem to be implying) due to some misplaced sense of loyalty or a belief that it's the "professional thing to do" is ludicrous.

You're right that agents won't care if they're in a position to make money out of you again. Their memory is incredible short once the dollar signs are spinning before their eyes.

And further to my point above regarding concern for maintaining a good rep at a client: Most clients won't care or even remember even if you do find yourself working for the same client twice. If there's sufficient time lapsed between gigs at the same client (and these days that time window is getting ever smaller) it's highly unlikely that the same permie staff will be there at the client as they'll have likely moved on to pastures new since the first time. So there's no-one there at the client to even remember you.

[cojak]

It's not the client or the agent, it's the senior contractor who may be in a position to take you with them on another contract.

But if there's no one there in this position it's less of a worry.

[TheFaQQer]

It's not the client or the agent, it's the senior contractor who may be in a position to take you with them on another contract.

But if there's no one there in this position it's less of a worry.

This.

Upsetting an agent that I would never work with again - meh.

Upsetting a client I would never work with again - meh.

Upsetting someone who I work with who might well be in a position to put the boot in in the future - this I care about.