how to drop contract "nicely" few days before start

[Basil Fawlty]

+1, That's business, do you think the agent would be worrying about 'nicely' informing you at the 11th hr that the client had performed a last minute u-turn and canned the role (as does happen).

I'm always wary of this. Therefore, whilst it may not be the most professional way to act, I would delay giving back word on contract 1 (getting contracts reviewed for IR35 etc etc) until the point where you are 100% certain contract 2 is going ahead. If you're at that point already then tell them ASAP.

Look out for no. 1 !

[Wanderer]

I'm always wary of this. Therefore, whilst it may not be the most professional way to act, I would delay giving back word on contract 1 (getting contracts reviewed for IR35 etc etc) until the point where you are 100% certain contract 2 is going ahead. If you're at that point already then tell them ASAP.

Look out for no. 1 !

That's my thinking too.

Tell them to knock the start date of contract 1 back by a week and then make sure you've got contract 2 in the bag (perhaps even started work) before you turn contract 1 down.

It's quite mercenary but then again I've been shat on by agents/clients a few times delaying/cancelling/terminating contracts or generally dicking me around so I look out for number 1 as much as I can. Fob them off with some cover story, don't just tell them you've found a better paying job.

The agent will scream like a stuck pig, threaten legal action and tell you that you'll never work in this city again but it's all bluster. Clients are a bit annoyed by they know that it's all just business.

[nicofars]

Thanks a lot all.
With all this thinking I have still delayed returning contract #1 so that contract #2 gets to me tomorrow. And I am prepared to get agent #1 screaming like a toddler when I will turn him down.
As you said and I have indeed been turned down a day before start a contract where I had signed contract in he past.. Business as usual, we know the risk, pimps know as well !

I like the idea if placing somebody on contract #1 though.... Investigating that ;-)

[psychocandy]

+1, That's business, do you think the agent would be worrying about 'nicely' informing you at the 11th hr that the client had performed a last minute u-turn and canned the role (as does happen).

+2 Happened to me. Agent didn't give a rats arse about it. Obviously peed off that they'd lost the role but that was it.

This was 3pm on friday before monday start. And contract had been signed two weeks before ready for this start date.

Take the grief from agent but at the end of the day **** them.

[psychocandy]

+1, But if they think they can make a quid out of you in the future will be straight on the phone acting as your best mate again...

Even if in the meantime you've shagged their mother and their wife.

[psychocandy]

There is no way to nicely let him/her know.

As a professional courtesy you can ring him/her and let them know your intentions. -- If they haven't sent you a signed contract from their end, you can do what 99 out of 100 pimps do and just don't bother.

maybe spend the extra time doing something that you enjoy?

Yeh good point. Maybe do what pimps do when they decide theres no money to be made out of you. Ignore their calls and never call them back.

[psychocandy]

That's my thinking too.

Tell them to knock the start date of contract 1 back by a week and then make sure you've got contract 2 in the bag (perhaps even started work) before you turn contract 1 down.

Hmm. Very good idea....

[DirtyDog]

Yeh good point. Maybe do what pimps do when they decide theres no money to be made out of you. Ignore their calls and never call them back.

That works if you know that you will never need them again. They can get away with it because they find the work - it's a riskier proposition to do it the other way round.

[ladymuck]

I dropped a contract 48 hours before starting due to a different offer only to find out it was the same agency the new gig was being operated through!! Whoops! No-one gave a stuff, it was only the referencing team that were the same the end pimps were different and it's common knowledge that Capita don't do internal communication.

[nicofars]

Joke is : pimp#2for gig that I wanted still cannot get CIO to sign on decision to hire me before next week (they are a very procedural company and therefore think hiring contractors has to go through the hierarchy ladder too..)
So we decided that it's too bad for them, I will take pimp#1 gig and in a few weeks -may be- gig#2 will close the deal and I go there .... But will I ? Not sure because of contract now.

Pimp #1 write a contract saying that I could not give notice for the duration of the contract (3 months) which I asked him to mirror their notice which is 4 weeks.
So I can't really start the gig and give notice to be free in 4 weeks ..!

Am screwed with this lower paid gig for 3 months the. :-(