Last member of team, migration project - terminate contract

[xtrail]

Hi

Just looking for some thoughts.
I've been with a large financial company for several years on a very high earning contract.
However, we are now migrating off the tool I specialise in and I'm not included in the new system.
The existing tool is deemed the root of all evils so the job is demoralising and effectively I'm de-skilling.

To add salt to the wound there is next to no management or project management controls in place so when anything fails during the migration it creates more anxiety.
We now suffer from too many consultants involved with little history of the business, business data and certainly no history on how the existing system was implemented. This results in consultants overselling the new system and not putting in place controls and processes to migrate from the old system. A large team building and supporting the NEW system and essentially myself supporting and assisting from the OLD system.

Long story short this is potentially my last contract before retirement however, anxiety is through the roof which I've never experienced like this in 30 years of contracting.

Do I hang on for as long as my mental health can survive for a few extra quid, terminate the contract now or find another short term contract ?
Perhaps I can reframe the above if anyone has been in a similar situation.

[SueEllen]

Try to find another contract before your health suffers.

[ladymuck]

Sometimes the job changes as project near completion and it's simply time to move on. No point stressing over it if the nature of the change isn't working for you.

What's your war chest looking like? Can you survive a few months out of work if you were to quit without another gig to go to?

[northernladuk]

I hope you don't think you are outside in this gig. You've become part and parcel and forgotten how to be a contractor. Sounds like are as ingrained as any permy can get and are tied to the job so you can't see the wood for the trees anymore. You get paid to do work and that work is now becoming untenable for you so just leave. It's ridiculous to hang on for a few quid more when your mental health is suffering. That's what permies do. Quit the gig and go find a new one which is what (supposedly) you do.

Drop the permie attitude and go find another gig.

[vetran]

Plenty of good migration projects out there in finance. A few are looking for Unicorns (ads are reposted every few weeks) but there must be sensible people hiring.

Sounds like you need to get out before the finger pointing starts, its a perfect death march project. No management, no direction, no way anyone senior will take responsibility. You don't need to feel bad sounds like you understand what is wrong with the project.

Too many upgrades/replacements are supposed to be a panacea but six months later the whole business is on Excel because it is the people broken not the system.

Get in with the new consultants maybe they are hiring?

Start reskilling and applying now!

[vetran]

I hope you don't think you are outside in this gig. You've become part and parcel and forgotten how to be a contractor. Sounds like are as ingrained as any permy can get and are tied to the job so you can't see the wood for the trees anymore. You get paid to do work and that work is now becoming untenable for you so just leave. It's ridiculous to hang on for a few quid more when your mental health is suffering. That's what permies do. Quit the gig and go find a new one which is what (supposedly) you do.

Drop the permie attitude and go find another gig.

Tough love from NLUK! Grab yer ankles and brace!

To be fair he has a point the bit I loved about contracting was saying no.

[cojak]

And maybe think about reskilling in the new software while you're at it.

[hobnob]

Long story short this is potentially my last contract before contract however, anxiety is through the roof which I've never experienced like this in 30 years of contracting.

I'm guessing that's a typo: did you mean "your last contract before retirement"? (That will affect the advice that other people have offered, i.e. if there might not be a "next gig".)

As a general point, though, I suggest talking to your client. If you're the only person who knows the old system, they probably don't want you to leave yet, and that might give you some leverage for better working conditions. (If you're at the point of handing in your notice anyway, you've got nothing to lose.)

[xtrail]

I hope you don't think you are outside in this gig. You've become part and parcel and forgotten how to be a contractor. Sounds like are as ingrained as any permy can get and are tied to the job so you can't see the wood for the trees anymore. You get paid to do work and that work is now becoming untenable for you so just leave. It's ridiculous to hang on for a few quid more when your mental health is suffering. That's what permies do. Quit the gig and go find a new one which is what (supposedly) you do.

Drop the permie attitude and go find another gig.

And maybe think about reskilling in the new software while you're at it

Thanks all for your advice and wisdom. I have definitely come attached to this inside gig. I was hanging on as it's a decent rate but no point as you have been saying it's ridiculous now my health is suffering.
Ironically the old software is still gartner leader just used for the wrong use case so skilling up still with the old software.
Moneywise yep I can retire early so money not an issue luckily.
I think I need to just get out of the gigg and get a new perspective and balance on life.

[xtrail]

[QUOTE][I'm guessing that's a typo: did you mean "your last contract before retirement"? (That will affect the advice that other people have offered, i.e. if there might not be a "next gig".)

As a general point, though, I suggest talking to your client. If you're the only person who knows the old system, they probably don't want you to leave yet, and that might give you some leverage for better working conditions. (If you're at the point of handing in your notice anyway, you've got nothing to lose.)/QUOTE]

Yes thanks typo my brain is not in gear. Yes I was hoping to retire end of this year. Good point certainly worth speaking to the client. Although old software there are others in the company with the skillset perhaps not the same understanding but yes perhaps nothing to loose.