Reply to: What to make of 2 month extension?

[kettlebellBA]

2 months - luxury!!

Current extension is 4 weeks (3 cos I am on hol!)

Reason being the Prog / Proj plans dont go down to task level and "the board" have queried what people will actually be doing. Hence a whirlwind exercise to produce work packages for the next 4 weeks (which enables resource planning and then £ sign off), and then another whirlwind exercise to produce work packagesfor the following 9 weeks.

Not ideal, but not worth getting to stressed over as summer is on its way

[Glencky]

It's most likely some kind of budgeting issue. In my permie career I was one of the people managers (alongside my day job, of course!) in a largish business change & IT dept in a large financial services company - we had upwards of 100 contractors at any point in time and I had between 5 and 10 reporting to me at any point in time.

Over the years I did this there were all sorts of reasons entirely unrelated to how we felt about the contractor or their project why we were 'forced' to do this. We had a horribly onerous process for extensions or new contracts, not as bad as for permie recruitment but bad enough. This is not uncommon, so I'm led to believe from friends and colleagues. So we preferred longer contracts for people we rated - a 2 month renewal period means it's like painting the blinking bridge, a never ending cycle. However at various times we had edicts on cost-saving from Corporate Centre or elsewhere that introduced severe constraints. For example, at one point we managed all our renewals to less than 100k USD to avoid a further (particularly onerous) set of approvals being required. Therefore obviously different contractors got different contract lengths depending on their rate. We tried to smooth it a bit so it wasn't so obvious and I don't this the detail of this constraint was understood by our contractors but it must've looked odd. From a relationship perspective I was as open as I could be with 'my guys' and just used to say, "look there's a nightmare process and some really bad constraints. My intention is to keep you on for at least X months/ years (if you're amenable) but the only contract I can offer you is (shorter term). Therefore I know that we are taking a risk that you go elsewhere at the end of that and from your point of view you have less certainty."

So I'd treat them like adults, without disclosing detail I wasn't able to disclose, and it never caused an issue. They would inform me of holidays outside their contract period but within a period where they reasonably felt they would still be working on the project* and it all worked fine.

*this is why I've just replied indignantly to the other thread about clients saying no to holidays. That client is a monster. I was in this istuation so often as a client and just grateful if people actually bothered ot have the courtesy to check out with me whether their holiday outside their current project period was likely to cause an issue or not. I didn't treat them like they were my blinking property outside their contract period!

Anyway - I doubt there's anything sinister behind the short renewal but there could be, so it's all about your attitude to risk. As somebody said at the start, do you value the bird in your hand or the two in the bush more?

[Ticktock]

My rule - never pay for more than a week season ticket for train. Its just too inflexible.

I've done 3 month one once then client says can you go tot his office for two weeks? Yeh I could have kicked off but it wouldnt have been good.

So now week at a time for me.

For me a one month ticket into London is less than one day of billing, and the cost is equal to three weekly passes. Based on that, it's fully worthwhile taking. The price breaks, for me at least, are 1 week, 1 month and 1 year. Absolutely no point in taking a 3 month pass (even if I think I'll be somewhere for 3 months), and my clients change often enough that an annual pass is out of the question, as I haven't yet had two journeys on the same route / clients close to each other.

[SueEllen]

It's a sign of the market.

Actually it's a sign of how the finance people in that organisation work.

Some realise if they don't give long enough extensions they lose people while others don't care until they have lost people.

[psychocandy]

You need to get use to the idea that not every company has an agreed budget for additional work after your initial contract.

I've had funny extensions working away before. Luckily I've managed to lodge with IT contractors who have been working elsewhere.

In regards to travelcards that's just part of the cost of doing business, and doesn't matter if you are local or not.

My rule - never pay for more than a week season ticket for train. Its just too inflexible.

I've done 3 month one once then client says can you go tot his office for two weeks? Yeh I could have kicked off but it wouldnt have been good.

So now week at a time for me.

[BlasterBates]

It's a sign of the market, I also had a project where the company just had 3 month extensions. If you get a better offer at some point then you can move on.

I would assume they will continue to extending until project completion at the end of the year.

[gigahoe]

But that's contracting!

Yep, but its still an issue you have to face. Just like crappy appraisals and internal politics is an issue for permies.
I guess we all prefer the prior to the latter!

[northernladuk]

But that's contracting!

Damn straight it is. If you want security and predictability go back to sitting in the same office kissing your bosses arse for 2% rise every year until they don't need you anymore and drop you like a stone. Me? I'm up for the challenges and situations contracting brings.

[vwdan]

When you're getting these funny durations and late extensions it can be fine assuming you're settled. The issue comes if you're staying away or having to renew leases, travelcards etc.

But that's contracting!

[unixman]

Sometimes companies like short terms if they are looking to be bought. It looks better on the books apparently.

[yasockie]

Thanks for all the responses - it looks like I'll be extending.

[theroyale]

Most likely just budgeting. My line manager at last contract told me as much - that I was going to be around till the end of the year but the extensions were going to be 1-monthers and not more, because that's how finance wanted it.

[SueEllen]

When you're getting these funny durations and late extensions it can be fine assuming you're settled. The issue comes if you're staying away or having to renew leases, travelcards etc.

You need to get use to the idea that not every company has an agreed budget for additional work after your initial contract.

I've had funny extensions working away before. Luckily I've managed to lodge with IT contractors who have been working elsewhere.

In regards to travelcards that's just part of the cost of doing business, and doesn't matter if you are local or not.

[gigahoe]

When you're getting these funny durations and late extensions it can be fine assuming you're settled. The issue comes if you're staying away or having to renew leases, travelcards etc.

[Sausage Surprise]

Working at a retailer in West Yorkshire I did 7 months (break 2 months), 4 weeks, 3 months, 6 weeks, 3 months, 4 weeks, etc. Did just over 2 years in all. HR was a nightmare - I was being doubled billed by some projects (but not getting double rate)