Struggling to get the next contract

[Rebel]

I guess I have no choice but to go down a plan b route.

Any ideas why the market seems a little quite? I get calls but mostly for perm roles.

[stek]

Sorry to be clear I have a warchest that could easily cover me for another year. So it's not the money that I am concerned about. It's really the fact that I am out of work, not extending my experience, will have a gap in my CV.... That sort of stuff really.

Get a Plan B, I've said to myself if I'm a year with no contract, I'm screwed, no more contracts after so long out.

At worst you can put ur failed plan B as a contract to fill the gap....

If it does fail - might not!!

[SueEllen]

Well another 12 weeks takes me to May which is basically 5 months off from work. I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

Ask those around you what they would do if they had a 3 months of work and couldn't go away for more than 3 days. You will get tonnes of suggestions.

I actually know permies who took 6-12 months out as they were cracking up. They got fit after a week or two of indulging, read books, visited people they couldn't fit in when they were working, did DIY and other home improvements, slept properly,...

They definitely were not bored.

[eman]

Ask those around you what they would do if they had a 3 months of work and couldn't go away for more than 3 days. You will get tonnes of suggestions.

I actually know permies who took 6-12 months out as they were cracking up. They got fit after a week or two of indulging, read books, visited people they couldn't fit in when they were working, did DIY and other home improvements, slept properly,...

They definitely were not bored.

Isn't the difference here though that - as a contractor - there will always be something in the back of your mind thinking about where your next contract is coming from? As opposed to a permie who has taken a sabbatical for example, but plans to return to their job.

[Rebel]

Ask those around you what they would do if they had a 3 months of work and couldn't go away for more than 3 days. You will get tonnes of suggestions.

I actually know permies who took 6-12 months out as they were cracking up. They got fit after a week or two of indulging, read books, visited people they couldn't fit in when they were working, did DIY and other home improvements, slept properly,...

They definitely were not bored.

Thanks for the suggestions. Yes agreed! I am doing the above actually and it does feel great. But I wouldn't want to do this any longer than another 4 weeks. It's probably a mindset thing I guess. As I've never been off for this long I'm getting a little disheartened.

[Cirrus]

Don't ever say contracting is enjoyable

Contracting is very binary.

You start looking for a job and it's sheer murder as you are ravaged by utterly stupid mindless agents who have IQs of between 13 and 15, and clients who drag you half way across the country only to say "So what do you really want, Rebel?". Like don't they get contractors come for a job (=cash), not to find God???

It's just a long drawn out nightmare until...suddenly you have a job. There's simply no reason why you've been humiliated up to now but then in the twinkling of an eye they love you.

Then you can go for 10 years without being out of work for more than 3 days, only to be totally ignored for a year or more as if you've suddenly become completely transparent.

Just suck it up. Contracting is tough!

[Rebel]

Contracting is very binary.

You start looking for a job and it's sheer murder as you are ravaged by utterly stupid mindless agents who have IQs of between 13 and 15, and clients who drag you half way across the country only to say "So what do you really want, Rebel?". Like don't they get contractors come for a job (=cash), not to find God???

It's just a long drawn out nightmare until...suddenly you have a job. There's simply no reason why you've been humiliated up to now but then in the twinkling of an eye they love you.

Then you can go for 10 years without being out of work for more than 3 days, only to be totally ignored for a year or more as if you've suddenly become completely transparent.

Just suck it up. Contracting is tough!

Lmao! Nicely put... Very funny in fact. I guess this is a learning experience that some/most others go through. I'm beginning to see that this isn't so straight forward as I had experienced before. I guess I was lucky in the last few years.

[SueEllen]

Isn't the difference here though that - as a contractor - there will always be something in the back of your mind thinking about where your next contract is coming from? As opposed to a permie who has taken a sabbatical for example, but plans to return to their job.

If you spend all your time waiting for a contract you will go mad. Therefore do other things as well. If you have to move them a day or so, or cancel them completely because you suddenly get a an interview then a contract it doesn't matter.

Oh and make sure anyone you visit doesn't get upset if you have to go make phone calls or fire up your laptop to send over a CV.

[vetran]

get hold of a few contacts and do day consulting. The must be people out there who don't want you on staff but can sell you for a day or two a month. I managed 2-3 a month in my last dry spell plus some second customers who wanted me for a week or two a quarter. it paid the equivalent of permie wages. But more importantly it filled my CV and convinced me I wasn't Tulip.

Do little work with friends who have a plan B to get the juices going for yours. I did a load of free work which paid off in the end when they made a profit. The ones that didn't made some great stories to tell.


Plenty of online training & FOSS out there.

[unixman]

Eh? You've been "off since January", it's now February and you are complaining ? I can't see a crisis there.

The contract market for me (unix/Linux admin) was dead in Dec/Jan, and has sprung to life in the last 2 weeks. It seems better than ever now, I guess due to economic forces. Rates climbing too.