What is your ideal length of time at one client?

[Denny]

I had some HR bint "interview" me once and say "your contracts are all 3,6 and 9 monthers mostly. Do you have a problem staying in one job?".

To which I replied, "No, but I do have a problem with companies hiring contractors when they really should be hiring permies."

That's a great answer.

When too much emphasis is placed on length of contract and concerns about whether you are too unstable to stay in one place rather than focusing on the work that was delivered successfully according to what your brief was you can bet that they view contractors as bum on seat numptys not real owner managed businesses. This is a very inside IR35 attitude typical of staff hiring HR personnel who, frankly, shouldn't even be involved in hiring contractors. This should be the province of supply chain representatives. If the work is done then it doesn't matter whether the contract was for 2 weeks or 2 years.

All my contracts have been for 6 months or under (except at my current one of 8 months) as the work I do is considered backfill (late taken on and easily dispensible and usually replaced by fixed termers or permies). There is no questions about my dedication to getting the tasks done and just because I wasn't extended to work years at one place doesn't make me any the less dedicated to my work nor does it imply that I was not good enough to be extended. If you have a Schedule of Works completed for each assignment, then it goes without saying that contracts can end once the work on it is completed.

Mind you I would be worried if my contract wasn't extended only to discover that they were replacing me with another similar EB sourced contractor, even by the same agency, on similar rates. That would imply that I had not delivered or was disliked by the client hence they wanted to get rid of me. This has never happened to me.

[Xenophon]

I had some HR bint "interview" me once and say "your contracts are all 3,6 and 9 monthers mostly. Do you have a problem staying in one job?".

To which I replied, "No, but I do have a problem with companies hiring contractors when they really should be hiring permies."

I have recently said the same thing to my current client.

[DaveB]

About to get a 2nd 6 month extension at the current client and a rate rise if all goes well. I probably wont go for another one after this though as it will be 18 months with the client by then and I'm getting itchy feet now. Only took this extension cos is the quiet christmass period and I didnt want ot be on the bench just at the moment.

[lukemg]

Interesting thread - for once ! You can see the range of people on here, most are bum-on-seat, a tiny few are in good demand and claiming own-business status. When the phone is ringing as soon as you dip your toe into the recruitment waters (or even when you aren't) it gives you a big confidence/ego boost that you are in demand.
That's fine and I hope everyone gets a taste of that. Good test of character comes along when the phone stops ringing, all sorts of options you would not even discuss previously e.g. type of work/rates/locations/permie jobs suddenly pop onto your list and it doesn't take long either. Couple of months of howling wind and tumbleweed and your confidence is up in flames !
Good luck all !