Ending early when the work dries up

[DieScum]

Done a year of a contract. Has been ok, but I've pretty much completed everything that will need doing.

They have offered a six month extension and are eager for me to accept but there is only going to be dribs and drabs of work that needs doing.

So I'm coming in to an office and sitting twiddling my thumbs for eight hours day finding things to be getting on with. It's torture.

Been sending my CV out but nothing yet.

What's the best gameplan?

Just sit it out, wait for a new offer and quit?

Sit it out the whole extension twiddling my thumbs. Safest option but I think I will go on a Falling Down style Michael Douglas rampage after much more of this.

Turn down the renewal and sit down with them and discuss how I can do an orderly handover and who would be suitable to do the bits and pieces of work that will come up over the six months?

I want to make sure I leave them happy, all the work is covered and I have a good reference but I need to get back out working.

[alreadypacked]

Are you sure you are meant to be a contractor?

I would not like to think how much I was charging clients for the amount worked every day.

Most contractors work on their plan B on contracts like this.

Plan B.
A business that will produce passive income.

If you don't have a plan B you can help me with mine

None of the above:

Sit it out the whole extension looking busy.

[barrydidit]

Sounds like the ball is in your court here so it's time to get creative. Could you do 3 days a week? Better yet, could you do the other 2 from your home office? Maybe they'd be happy to have you for 3 months rather than 6? And make sure you advise them of those 2 weeks off you'll be having.

[GlenW]

Are you sure you are meant to be a contractor?

I would not like to think how much I was charging clients for the amount worked every day.

Most contractors work on their plan B on contracts like this.

Plan B.
A business that will produce passive income.

If you don't have a plan B you can help me with mine

None of the above:

Sit it out the whole extension looking busy.

This, plus masturbation in the bogs.

[NotAllThere]

...What's the best gameplan? ...

I would work on plan B or for another client, while offering current client to work on an "as needed" basis. If you can build up a number of clients that you work for on an adhoc basis (that's what I do), it's quite a nice way to work. Lucrative too.

[BlasterBates]

Been sending my CV out but nothing yet.]

This says it all......

The alternative to not doing much is to do absolutely nothing and watch your savings drain out your bank account.

When you have agents all over you and 10 interviews lined up then you can bugger off.

[vwdan]

This says it all......

The alternative to not doing much is to do absolutely nothing and watch your savings drain out your bank account.

When you have agents all over you and 10 interviews lined up then you can bugger off.

Exactly - unless you really hate being there then why would you contemplate spending your warchest when you could be earning. Obviously if you want some time off then that's fair game, but you wouldn't be asking us then!

[psychocandy]

Depends on how easy web surfing is. Is it logged/noticed etc?

If not then crack on looking for something else on jobserve, doing CV etc. Plan B.

If your forced to look busy then I agree with you. Thats a killer.
Also depends on your warchest. If your minted why drive yourself up the wall like this? If your skint then its different.

If you can smoke WFH for a few days then job done. Getting paid for being home and doing bugger all. Could then cope with 3 days trying to look busy.

Had a perm job once where I was sent to client site. That ended so I was on the bench at employer site doing bugger all. They still made me come in every day. There were 5 of us like this.
Was cool for a bit but then it got a bit much. Was glad in the end they made me redundant.

[d000hg]

If you can wing working from home then this could be ideal as you can work on something else or just bum about as long as you do all that they require from you.

I would share your unease though at doing nothing day after day. Don't they require you to log how your time is spent at all - how do you account for that?

[BolshieBastard]

Its weird (although not really) but, I bet a pound to a penny the client offering a 6 month extension would withdraw it completely if the contractor effectively said 'Im not fully utilised so Id intend only working 3 days a week for you and the other two doing my own thing \ working for someone else'!

When the market is bouyant, that is no problem as you could quickly pick up other work but, depending what your specialism is, the market may not be in that position.

Best advice is carry on invoicing while looking for something else. In any event, you never know, a big tranche of work with the client may be forthcoming.