How long before your contract end date do you start looking?

[Peoplesoft bloke]

In my experience by the time clientco has made their mind up they need someone and navigated their labyrinthine procedures, they needed you to start three weeks ago so there's no point looking before current gig has definitely ended.

By the way - the go live date was set three months ago when clientco first thought about the project - so when you join you will either have a nanosecond to deliver or you are already late.

[Pogle]

I usually start about 1 month before, at current contract, they've been muttering about extending, but until I've got the contract I continue looking - I've been caught out before by managers who want to keep you on, not realising that they don't have the funding.
Also, there may be something out there closer to home.

[moorfield]

This gig ends on 30th June. The warchest is well packed already so I'm having July and August off before I start looking.

[MarillionFan]

I think from the poll results this is a quite intriguing split.

There is one school of thought to look a month ahead(the planners) and those who wait until they finish(the reactionaries)

Sample is too small, but it would be interesting to know what is the best plan of action in terms of reducing bench time.

[cojak]

I picked the wrong one (I know, I know... ), but I put my updated CV on the boards 1 month before contract-end (to get my CV in front of agents looking but not placing ads) and then search/get alerts for contracts with 2 weeks to go.

That (usually, it's been a funny 'ole year) works for me.

[Green Mango]

WOW! Really! 1/3 of posters wait until they have finished their contracts!!!

Often a renewal comes and yes the company often won't offer a renewal until the last minute.

In fact at my current place you don't get a renewal until sometime after the contract end date so you continue at risk for a couple of weeks.

[jmo21]

Often a renewal comes and yes the company often won't offer a renewal until the last minute.

In fact at my current place you don't get a renewal until sometime after the contract end date so you continue at risk for a couple of weeks.

This is the approach I usually take. I prefer to always give them a chance to renew even if it means missing out on something new for me.

In difficult times however, I can understand looking early.