Extend or go dilemma

[Ken Adams]

Hi all,

I'm need some advice re a contract situation as I'm fairly new to the game - only in second contract.

Current contract (as a Project Manager) is due to run out mid June and I've been verbally told a 3 month extension is being signed off to finish off some niggly bits at the end of the contract. However, another role has come up that would bump the day rate up by a lot.

My dilemma is do I stay or do I go. Both are great clients to have worked for. From a personal point of view I could really do with the rate increase, nursery fees, mortgage etc... (which I cannot get at current place, I tried), but from a professional point of view I don't want to let my client down.

There is a 6-8 week lead time to starting the new contract because they need to SC clear me. So one 'play' I could make would be to take the contract, inform my current client and ensure the right plans are in place for the project team to complete the remaining tasks.

Any tips on how to handle this? Is this common? Are there other important factors to take in to account? Things to try to gain a win-win for parties?

Advice appreciated...

Many thanks
KA

[cojak]

Hi all,

I'm need some advice re a contract situation as I'm fairly new to the game - only in second contract.

Current contract (as a Project Manager) is due to run out mid June and I've been verbally told a 3 month extension is being signed off to finish off some niggly bits at the end of the contract. However, another role has come up that would bump the day rate up by a lot.

My dilemma is do I stay or do I go. Both are great clients to have worked for. From a personal point of view I could really do with the rate increase, nursery fees, mortgage etc... (which I cannot get at current place, I tried), but from a professional point of view I don't want to let my client down.

There is a 6-8 week lead time to starting the new contract because they need to SC clear me. So one 'play' I could make would be to take the contract, inform my current client and ensure the right plans are in place for the project team to complete the remaining tasks.

Any tips on how to handle this? Is this common? Are there other important factors to take in to account? Things to try to gain a win-win for parties?

Advice appreciated...

Many thanks
KA

Yes it's common.

Generally it's not the done thing to dump the client mid-contract, particularly if you're a PM.

But at contract end it is completely up to you whether you choose to accept an extension or not (certainly if the project is in wind down you may not last the contract as the client may terminate at project, not contract, end).

You have a good idea re the 6 weeks - offer the client a wrap up and handover.

[kingcook]

There is a 6-8 week lead time to starting the new contract because they need to SC clear me. So one 'play' I could make would be to take the contract, inform my current client and ensure the right plans are in place for the project team to complete the remaining tasks.

^ This ^

I would just say you're available for a further 6 weeks. I wouldn't mention the new contract. If for any reason the new contract falls through during those 6 weeks, you can be available for any potential extensions with your existing client without looking desperate.

[Mulder]

Be careful with verbal confirmations on contract renewals.
At my current client (Glasgow based with Australia in the name), they confirmed on the 15th May that they would renew me for 3 months as the could guarantee they had enough work for me and they would start the paper work, then on the 19th May they told me they might manage 6 months, then on the 21st they decided to tell me that actually they don't have enough work after all, so there won't be a renewal after all.

So thats me on the hunt for a new client.

[Ken Adams]

thanks

Thanks for the input guys.

I think I'm going to go for it, but on the proviso I can put together a solid closeout/handover plan that doesn't let the current client down.

I've never burnt bridges in the past and don't want to start now. Plus, it's a small world!

[Mulder]

Very small world.

Despite how my current client have handled me, I am doing a thorough handover with the 3 BAs that are taking over my workload, so I don't burn any bridges.

[contractorcontractor]

Grass

There was a Contractor UK article about this "Just Say No".

If you are happy, the job creates more opportunities, or are only interested in harvesting money, then say yes.

Otherwise there is a lot to be said for not letting the grass grow under your feet.

[tarbera]

The land of milk and honey view

Thanks for the input guys.

I think I'm going to go for it, but on the proviso I can put together a solid closeout/handover plan that doesn't let the current client down.

I've never burnt bridges in the past and don't want to start now. Plus, it's a small world!

The land of milk and honey view - Or you tell current client you are leaving, they find a immed replacement and your out the door end of the day waiting 6 weeks for DC to clear.

[TheFaQQer]

Current contract (as a Project Manager) is due to run out mid June and I've been verbally told a 3 month extension is being signed off to finish off some niggly bits at the end of the contract. However, another role has come up that would bump the day rate up by a lot.

My dilemma is do I stay or do I go. Both are great clients to have worked for. From a personal point of view I could really do with the rate increase, nursery fees, mortgage etc... (which I cannot get at current place, I tried), but from a professional point of view I don't want to let my client down.

There is a 6-8 week lead time to starting the new contract because they need to SC clear me. So one 'play' I could make would be to take the contract, inform my current client and ensure the right plans are in place for the project team to complete the remaining tasks.

Are you saying that you definitely have the other contract in place, and they are willing to wait until the middle of June for you to start? If that's the case and you want to leave, then tell the client that you will be leaving at the end of the current contract and then take the one that you want. Manage the handover as well as you can, though, so there isn't anything left in the lurch.

I'm surprised that it takes 6-8 weeks to get security clearance, though. I thought that the current SLA was significantly less than that, and they were beating the target in the majority of cases.

[barely_pointless]

hmm, I'm just about to jump from a "certain" contract over the next 12 months to a short term 3 monther for a number of reasons:

1. Very Poor Leadership, i.e. none, no idea of where they want to be in 3-5 years time.
2. No IT Strategy, i.e. installing ms office 2014 is not a strategy.........
3. No investment in Permies (as far as I can see), this leads to myopic thinking and poor organizational capability for me to pass on my knowledge and skills
4. zero stakeholder comms and capability, they consistently get it wrong, and given the level of our stakeholders and the interest of Media (they too are a stakeholder) this can be embarrassing....
   there is so much more,

The current role ?

Senior PM, BA, Senior BA, external and internal Senior Stakeholder Mgr, Business Architect (insofar as they are aware of viewpoint presentations) , Masters Uni Mentor (done x9 of them now), Strategist, workshop facilitator, change manager/agent, communicator............ given the agencies and clients that I'm dealing with, I simply cannot continue to "clean up" after supposed senior public servants consistently put their feet in their mouths, it's just a joke..............

Guess what, here's an early alarm bell, I'm the only one who takes notes at meetings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The OCD list above is really an aide for me to cement and confirm the reasons to leave, there would be huge potential here if they get their act together (big IF), and it's also a re-evaluation of my worth, new gig pays approx 25% more, take that suckka........

new role ? simple PM - will wear the risk of the unknown...!

time to move on... I'll do a complete handover during the notice period, but they'll just miss-interpret and misunderstand it as usual, so it'll be a bit of window dressing...