Longest Contract to date and losing the will to live

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Early November is ok. From November 15/20th its dead until mid January.

Applications will start at start of November.... Either way it's not a set rule. I have previously found contracts in December/January. If I don't get one then I will be happy to wait until Jan/Feb - this time I have a good enough warchest that it's not such an issue.

[Ticktock]

4 months in to a 6 monther now - due to finish first week of November.

As things stand there's no way I'll renew. Had enough of explaining what a contractor is, why I won't request holiday, create a personal development plan, why I send an invoice for expenses, etc, to my "line manager" (an HR Trainer) who I was assigned to as they didn't have a proper project team set up.
Looks like they may actually get a project team sorted and reassign me soon, but it may be too little too late for me.

Last long contract was 16 months. A good team, good work, place full of contractors, but they started to push more and more into permiedom, so glad I left when I did.

[Goatfell]

7 months at AB Automotive was soul destroying.

At Mountain Ash?
Shadow of its former self now

Spent some time there over the past few years, hell of a place to get to as well.

[Bunk]

I'm on my second longest at the moment, 18 months so far, and I'm finishing in 2 weeks. Looking forward to the time off but also quite keen to start looking again as I'm in a comfortable enough position to be able to turn down any crappy looking gigs. If I don't find anything before Christmas, so be it

[northernladuk]

1) Gonna see this one through just to prove your wrong (and err perhaps there may be no notice period in my contract..... )

I knew that. Notice (or lack of) means squat. If you want to leave you just negotiate your way out. No business is gonna keep someone there that isn't performing or doesn't want to be there.

2) Never lasted 12 months before if I am fully honest. First gig was 3 months that turned into 9 months. in 2010 - 2011 I lasted 10 months (but would have done more if it were not for the rate cuts)....

I knew that as well

Saying that I have found I start to lose motivation about 6-8 months into any gig...

Any gig or just ones that turn out to be a bit crappy? I thought where you joined in the project lifecycle would make a difference to how interesting it is... or is it personal motivation and not just the work becoming mundane?

[RedSauce]

I'm on my longest at the moment, was initially supposed to be 3 months, but have taken 2 extensions and am approaching 15 months. Due to finish in January and unless I can negotiate a substantial rate rise I will be on to pastures new.

It is getting to the stage now where I am getting "just this once" requests to look at support requests for systems I worked on, I think when this happens it shows you are being regarded as a disguised permie and it is time to depart.

[Project Monkey]

Totally agree. Not a good time to start looking.

Whatever time of year, someone always says its crap.

[cojak]

It is getting to the stage now where I am getting "just this once" requests to look at support requests for systems I worked on, I think when this happens it shows you are being regarded as a disguised permie and it is time to depart.

Yep, them's the alarm bells...

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

I knew that. Notice (or lack of) means squat. If you want to leave you just negotiate your way out. No business is gonna keep someone there that isn't performing or doesn't want to be there.



I knew that as well



Any gig or just ones that turn out to be a bit crappy? I thought where you joined in the project lifecycle would make a difference to how interesting it is... or is it personal motivation and not just the work becoming mundane?

Re your first point: there is no way they will let me go in the next 3 months as it needs 3 months to hand it over to a permie and I don't want to screw up my chances to come back here in 6 months time.

Re your last point: My role changed after 12 months of being the architect/technical lead for the BI solutions that are currently in place. Ironically they up'd my rate for a lower level role just so they could hang on to my skills......

Re your second point: Shove it.

[bobspud]

Re your first point: there is no way they will let me go in the next 3 months as it needs 3 months to hand it over to a permie and I don't want to screw up my chances to come back here in 6 months time.

Re your last point: My role changed after 12 months of being the architect/technical lead for the BI solutions that are currently in place. Ironically they up'd my rate for a lower level role just so they could hang on to my skills......

Re your second point: Shove it.

No you are under no obligation to accept their work you could simply wander off and choose not to take any further work. The bit in the contract that states they are not obligated to offer you work says so you can then offer 1 day a week out of the kindness of your heart.

If you have delivered and are only keeping a permies seat warm then I would start looking now and just bail as something worth your while pops up...