The next contract.....

[psychocandy]

+1 to this. I did start looking 4 weeks before I finished and was desperate for end to end gig's and then everything suddenly changed. I think the defining point was during a 6 week gap between gig's. I wasn't running out of money, the need to be in a gig wasn't there and life was just good. Since then my attitude to end of gig's completely changed... And very much for the better. It's a shame its not something you can tell people. Have to find out for themselves by being in situation that suddenly gives them that light bulb moment.

On the flip side, I came out of a 2 yr gig, then a REALLY well paid 6 week one which ran right up until I had a holiday planned which was great.

Chilled out for hol but then as the weeks rolled by I got more and more stressed. Had decent warchest but it went quicker than I thought and it annoyed me that it was getting wasted away.

Never in any financial danger but ended up having to take a crap paid contract after 3 months+ on the bench.

Maybe its just me.

[cojak]

I dislike being distracted in my last month of contract by taking agents calls and constantly nipping out to talk shop.

It irritates the client as well. They are paying me to be there so I like to give them my full attention. Also I like to have a week away on holiday immediately after contract end but it doesn't feel like a holiday if I'm talking to agents.

So I start looking for a contract in earnest once I'm back from holiday.

I can afford it so why not?

[ChimpMaster]

Have been going for back to back gigs up until now, although have still had about a month between gigs on average.

Warchest is over 12 months now, so will be more relaxed about it from here on. Plus I have 3 clients on the go so losing one wont be a major blow. Saying that I'll be milking it for all it's worth while it lasts. I can get two months warchest in the bank for every month worked atm. If it lasts a year I'm planning on some serious time off.

I said that 10 years ago. I really need some time off now!

[oracleslave]

Never in any financial danger .

With your standard modus operandi per your signature - how could you ever be?

[rl4engc]

Only problem with my approach is trying to explain to pimps that I choose to take so much time off, thankfully I now have a core of 3-4 agents I trust and regularly use

I'd still take a few weeks off between contracts, after all that's why I contract, but I'd need to have answers ready for then I go to the first interview. My answer would contain the following phrases:

".. spend a bit of time with my family .."
".. I wanted to update my skillset with <insert name of skill needed for new contract> .."
".. I successfully completed my last contract, so wanted a few weeks off to relax ready for my next challenge .."
".. I needed to <insert some large scale DIY tasks or hobby .."

I figured if any or all of the above phrases put them off, I wouldn't want to work for them anyhow.

[Ticktock]

I've never had an issue with breaks between gigs, either with agents or clients. Then again, my CV is "MyCo Ltd 20xx -", and just has a " Key Projects" section under that, rather than listing every contract, so it's not as obvious

[SueEllen]

The only people who have questioned me before interview are 21 year old agents.

Clients' aren't interested at all. Older agents are only interested when I have to complete stupid credit check forms but that's just to pass the process.