Reply to: 'Part time' contractors

[Hobosapien]

there is a risk that agents/clients may start to use things like contract gaps in order to filter down candidates.

If you have a ltd then you can legitimately fill gaps by doing work for your own company, such as trying a plan B that happens to have an IT element.

Longer the gap the harder it may be to cover but I've not had any real aggro with CV scrutinisation, though expect it's more of an issue if going for security cleared or more sensitive work.

A month or two here or there will probably not even be noticed if you just put 'holiday' in that gap on the CV. Many contractors take a break between contracts unless they're short ones or they're in need of the moolah.

If the agency makes negative remarks on gaps maybe it's a good indicator they're not contractor focused and will end up offering you a temp employee contract or send you for an interview that turns out to be a permie role.

[theroyale]

FWIW:
Been contracting 27 years.
Aim for the last 13 years has been a 70/30 split (on-contract/off-contract), which I have achieved.
Never had a problem with "gaps" (not with agents, clients, c.v. or teeth.)

Just wonder how specialised you (and other posters on this thread who have successfully part-timed) consider your skills to be? Say on a scale of 1-10. Obviously if your skills are highly specialised and you're an expert in your field then it would be churlish of agents/clients to bother with the odd 3-month gap.

I'm in my 6th year contracting but I'm taking a more generalist route (Microsoft SQL/BI dev), fairly common skillset but the upshot is that its a strong market and there are dozens of viable contracts available at any one time. The downside is that there are lots of people applying, which means there is a risk that agents/clients may start to use things like contract gaps in order to filter down candidates.

[nomadd]

FWIW:
Been contracting 27 years.
Aim for the last 13 years has been a 70/30 split (on-contract/off-contract), which I have achieved.
Never had a problem with "gaps" (not with agents, clients, c.v. or teeth.)

[Yonmons]

Just back in Contracting after putting myself on the bench in April, that last Gig for 11 months was about to make me ill, I'm to old and long in the tooth for 13 hrs. days (inclusive of commute) Week 4 of being in the NHS, nice and local. Had to come back via Ltd Co, the quote my last umbrella company gave me would have just meant the job was not viable after mucho biggo stoppages, so binned that idea. (Umbrellas must have taken a big hit, since the loss of T&S in April. ) 6 months contract so that will do for now. Covering the gap in my CV of 16yrs ? I don't bother now, just tell them I needed a break thanks.

[theroyale]

I've been trying to find a part-time e.g. 2/3 days a week role for months with no joy, they just don't seem to exist.

I often look for 1-3 days/week roles too (without too much luck). DBA/Support roles seem more common. Dev not so much.

[northernladuk]

I've been trying to find a part-time e.g. 2/3 days a week role for months with no joy, they just don't seem to exist.

Not the safest conclusion I've ever seen lol.

[NonnyMouse]

I've been trying to find a part-time e.g. 2/3 days a week role for months with no joy, they just don't seem to exist.

[theroyale]

are you part time guys umbrella or Ltd ? I am shortly about to go down the same route due to a change in home life so just wondering which is the best option.

Limited here..

[northernladuk]

are you part time guys umbrella or Ltd ? I am shortly about to go down the same route due to a change in home life so just wondering which is the best option.

Depends.

[Hoppy]

are you part time guys umbrella or Ltd ? I am shortly about to go down the same route due to a change in home life so just wondering which is the best option.

[MrMarkyMark]

I'm part time by choice - well have been the past 2 years. Taken a few 4-6 monthe breaks. I've found that being targeted with applications and tailoring the CV/cover note is usually enough to get a call back. Unfortunately short contracts and gaps are a red flag that will often get the application binned at the first hurdle but it's not a complete show stoppfer.

When asked about short contracts and gaps I just explain that it's a lifestyle choice and one of the main reasons I contract. Any further explanation than that really shouldn't be necessary. I take regular sabbaticals to get off the hamster wheel and smell the roses. This is quite a good article you can refer people to if they don't get it:

Top five regrets of the dying | Life and style | The Guardian

I can see how short gigs and gaps can be percieved as a risk though. Applying for short gigs with targeted CV is a good way round, so far...

That being said my Plan B requires amounting a decent pile of dosh so no more (voluntary) sabbaticals for me for a while. A 3-4 day/week gig would be ideal though

Very good post. Have been out since Feb and have really enjoyed it, did 3.5 years back to back, so really needed the break, 2 months travel helped too

Just about to start looking again, was just coming close to something very good, direct through a friend, but has had budget pulled. To compound matters the software Co offered them 2 weeks free consultancy

[Jog On]

Lots of similiarities with my situation.

I do aim to find 1-day a week (for e.g.) work during 'off' periods. Typically this can be passed off as "x months of work", rather than "x months of work but only one day a week".

Of course the larger question here goes abegging: why are agents so stupid about being in work full time. And some clients too. This idea that your skills have fallen out of date is ridiculous: I know plenty of people who have not had a day off in the last ten years whose skills are woefully inadequate. It's about your ability and willingness to pick things up quickly and hit the ground running, not the ability to keep your head down and be a permatractor, that should count.

I'm part time by choice - well have been the past 2 years. Taken a few 4-6 monthe breaks. I've found that being targeted with applications and tailoring the CV/cover note is usually enough to get a call back. Unfortunately short contracts and gaps are a red flag that will often get the application binned at the first hurdle but it's not a complete show stopper.

When asked about short contracts and gaps I just explain that it's a lifestyle choice and one of the main reasons I contract. Any further explanation than that really shouldn't be necessary. I take regular sabbaticals to get off the hamster wheel and smell the roses. This is quite a good article you can refer people to if they don't get it:

Top five regrets of the dying | Life and style | The Guardian

I can see how short gigs and gaps can be percieved as a risk though. Applying for short gigs with targeted CV is a good way round, so far...

That being said my Plan B requires amounting a decent pile of dosh so no more (voluntary) sabbaticals for me for a while. A 3-4 day/week gig would be ideal though

[theroyale]

Exactly this.

I aim to contract about 7-8 months a year. I contract for freedom and flexibility to do other things in life, not necessarily a plan B. Being in a non technical role, I don't really have to worry about my skills getting out of date but I was worried one time when I had a long time on the bench, how that might be perceived by clients. During that fallow period I was fortunate to pick up a few odd billable days ad hoc work here and there via a contact. When asked at an interview what I had been doing the last year, I replied I had been sub contracting on assignments in several industries and doing a bit of studying. I didn't need to mention it was only about 2 weeks worth of work I had done.

A friend who recently started contracting stated she was unemployed whilst finding her first gig to which I replied, you're never unemployed - you are a full time company director!

Lots of similiarities with my situation.

I do aim to find 1-day a week (for e.g.) work during 'off' periods. Typically this can be passed off as "x months of work", rather than "x months of work but only one day a week".

Of course the larger question here goes abegging: why are agents so stupid about being in work full time. And some clients too. This idea that your skills have fallen out of date is ridiculous: I know plenty of people who have not had a day off in the last ten years whose skills are woefully inadequate. It's about your ability and willingness to pick things up quickly and hit the ground running, not the ability to keep your head down and be a permatractor, that should count.

[ChimpMaster]

Cool...all work and no play....

All depends on circumstances, I have been in the game for many years and enjoy my bench time.

Approx. 10 years for me and I'm knackered, my body hurts and I reckon I have aged more than others in my age group. Back to back contracts meant very little time off for me, I would reckon on average 10 days a year. I do regret not doing more travelling when I was younger, but there were a number of circumstances that made it difficult.

But I'm almost done now. Just hope I'm not gonna be like one of those cops in the movies who dies on his very last mission one day before retirement

[edison]

I suppose you work through a limited company. Then consider yourself permanently employed by your own company since it was incorporated. The client engagements have been just that - client engagements you have worked on as part of your duties as a permie of your own company, just like any employee of PA Consulting et al would state, and you have worked on various in-house projects in between - new product and service development, helping out with sales & marketing etc.

Exactly this.

I aim to contract about 7-8 months a year. I contract for freedom and flexibility to do other things in life, not necessarily a plan B. Being in a non technical role, I don't really have to worry about my skills getting out of date but I was worried one time when I had a long time on the bench, how that might be perceived by clients. During that fallow period I was fortunate to pick up a few odd billable days ad hoc work here and there via a contact. When asked at an interview what I had been doing the last year, I replied I had been sub contracting on assignments in several industries and doing a bit of studying. I didn't need to mention it was only about 2 weeks worth of work I had done.

A friend who recently started contracting stated she was unemployed whilst finding her first gig to which I replied, you're never unemployed - you are a full time company director!