Contract end. I can stand it.

[ratewhore]

It's not funny. Does anyone know how to deal with this?

Ignore it. Job done...

[Codejock]

Does this help:

http://forums.contractoruk.com/accou...-director.html

[realityhack]

Create a quick spreadsheet showing your cashflow and forecast for the next 4 months, project that on the basis of a 50% drop in rates thereafter. Put the Net figures in bold, talk it over with her.

It sounds anal, but she's afraid because she doesn't see contracting in as black & white terms as permiedom, and she wants stability. Impassionately and clearly stating the facts of the matter will reassure her.

It may also help to show the results of a 5 second jobswerve search at 50% rate, to demonstrate the buoyancy of the market - if this is the case.

[FSM with Cheddar]

Also, you could point out that going permi isn't a safe option.

I'm currently looking at CV's for a permi role at clientCo. There are a lot of people asking for £2-5K below their previous salary after being made redundant.

And most of these permies are not going to have the kind of savings you have got.

I would say you are in a stronger position than most permies that have a vunerable job at the moment.

Good luck Expat!

[bellymonster]

Or just boot her in the fadge and have done with it.

[ratewhore]

Or just boot her in the fadge and have done with it.

I concur.

Good use of the word 'fadge'...

[expat]

It may also help to show the results of a 5 second jobswerve search at 50% rate, to demonstrate the buoyancy of the market - if this is the case.

I don't usually get contracts from jobserve, or even look at it much except out of idle curiosity. It doesn't show much in Siebel (my current field) but there are contracts. Hard to plot though, it's a low-turnover thing.

Funnily, she said something the other day about Siebel not going to last forever. I agree, though I can't remember saying it to her. Has she been googling to see how marketable I am?

Any I'm not fixated on Siebel, it's been a good run with good rates from the unnecessarily high barrier to entry, but I'd drop it if need be. I've switched skills before: I started in 370 Assembler programming, then switched to COBOL because it was more common (and lost the most interest I've had in programming); then added CICS to keep getting contracts; then dropped COBOL (prematurely as it turned out) and went to Windows programming for Client-Server; then went to Siebel.

Next I think I'll leverage my experience to go for leading teams of Indians on data manipulation and analysis. I'm hoping not to need too many more years of IT anyway.

[expat]

Also, you could point out that going permi isn't a safe option.
...
I would say you are in a stronger position than most permies that have a vunerable job at the moment.

You know that, I know that, we all know that. Most people don't, luckily for us or everybody would be contracting.

[b0redom]

How long have you been contracting... and you've only got 4 months base salary AND a mortgage?!

[BoredBloke]

It's not funny. Does anyone know how to deal with this?

Is she a looker? Rent her out.