Reply to: What would you do?

[hotdiggitty]

I think you mean "client representative timesheet approving non-controlling figure", not line manager [/nluk]

Haha yeah still have to get used to that! Being ex-forces it took long enough to get used to the term Line-Manager in the first place!

[northernladuk]

I think you mean "client representative timesheet approving non-controlling figure", not line manager [/nluk]

You da man!!

[pr1]

Decided honesty was the best policy in the end and went and spoke to line manager at B. I've put a proposal to them to involve me in some other projects after this one finishes and raise my day rate at the expense of the other guy they were going to hire (they weren't that keen on him apparently). If both of these come off I'll be pretty happy and it'll save the client money as well. Here's hoping but if it doesn't all come off I can take Mrs Hot away Skiing in Jan instead!

Thanks for the advice everyone

I think you mean "client representative timesheet approving non-controlling figure", not line manager [/nluk]

[hotdiggitty]

Decided honesty was the best policy in the end and went and spoke to line manager at B. I've put a proposal to them to involve me in some other projects after this one finishes and raise my day rate at the expense of the other guy they were going to hire (they weren't that keen on him apparently). If both of these come off I'll be pretty happy and it'll save the client money as well. Here's hoping but if it doesn't all come off I can take Mrs Hot away Skiing in Jan instead!

Thanks for the advice everyone

[SussexSeagull]

Must confess I have got a couple of things n January in the past so not sure it is as dead as people say (granted things are fairly dead for me at the moment but that isn't a time of year thing)

[b0redom]

+1 for the above

[gables]

Personally I'd complete with Client B and tell Client A. that you'd be ready in January.

Client A. have been dicking you around and want you to take a large chunk of the Dec/Jan off.

The chances are Client A. aren't not serious about starting the project until the new year .... we're already in November, so there's not a great deal of time left. They obviously aren't in too much of a hurry.

Also they could well be in a position where their preferred candidate pulled out at the last minute - which would explain the 6 week delay.

My position would be:

"Thank you for the offer, but considering the delay in receiving the start date, I have started another contract that is due to end in January. I will be available then if you still need me, if not then thank you for offering me the role".

Don't forget if you decline Client A. have to start their recruitment process again. That could take them weeks presuming the other candidates they have interviewed are no longer available.

If you just accept and turn up then they will believe you are not in demand and it sets it up nicely for them to take you for granted in the future.


PS. If Client A. go for the mid-Jan start then I'd think about speaking to Client B - they may well be thinking of extending your role. Then what would you do?

This one ^^

[tomtomagain]

Personally I'd complete with Client B and tell Client A. that you'd be ready in January.

Client A. have been dicking you around and want you to take a large chunk of the Dec/Jan off.

The chances are Client A. aren't not serious about starting the project until the new year .... we're already in November, so there's not a great deal of time left. They obviously aren't in too much of a hurry.

Also they could well be in a position where their preferred candidate pulled out at the last minute - which would explain the 6 week delay.

My position would be:

"Thank you for the offer, but considering the delay in receiving the start date, I have started another contract that is due to end in January. I will be available then if you still need me, if not then thank you for offering me the role".

Don't forget if you decline Client A. have to start their recruitment process again. That could take them weeks presuming the other candidates they have interviewed are no longer available.

If you just accept and turn up then they will believe you are not in demand and it sets it up nicely for them to take you for granted in the future.


PS. If Client A. go for the mid-Jan start then I'd think about speaking to Client B - they may well be thinking of extending your role. Then what would you do?

[northernladuk]

The last three gig's I had started in January so the zero gig's thing is just a crock.

[squarepeg]

Finish contract B. Client A has been messing you about from the start, they will keep messing you about later on. I'd just skip client A altogether and start looking for a new gig in the first week of January (it will be tough, practically zero jobs at that time of year) while you are working for client B. Start with a couple of smaller clients until you learn to play the game. Also, client B may extend your contract, if they are happy/have the budget for it, which would look great on your CV.

Good luck and don't let big shiny clients distract you... for they may be Death Stars in disguise...

[kaiser78]

Option 2 for me and enjoy the time off over Xmas.
Option 1 is too risky given the market over the past 6 months not unlikely to improve.
Option 3 bound to go wrong somewhere along the line leaving you a massive hole to get out of.

[northernladuk]

I'd forget option 3. Far too complex, too much to go wrong and the potential for leaving you with nothing and a very poor start to a contracting career.

IMO you are new so need to get some finished gigs under your belt. Finishing a gig and starting to look for a new one is bread and butter stuff for us. It's what we do so you shouldn't be afraid of it. Sometimes gigs just don't dovetail and that's that. Gotta carry on. If you are any good another one will pop up soon enough. If it doesn't and the only way you can survive is playing clients off like this I'd question if you are going to make it really.

Dunno how it fits in as I didn't spend much time understanding the situation but contracts can take a week to be checked <cough> so if you accept subject to contract checks you can delay start dates by a bit if that helps your case.

[Lance]

Well that's another level! Like it though

that's business

[hotdiggitty]

Means you've got a chance to finish Client B properly (explain that you've got a new contract lined up for as soon as you finish).

Yeah it makes total sense. I suspect it might be finished a little early anyway - there's supposed to be two Contractors on the project but one dropped out and I've been smashing through it quicker than I thought I would on my own. Interviews this week for his replacement, who might start as early as next week. Might make me feel less guilty if they're not totally in the lurch

[LondonManc]

Well that's another level! Like it though

Means you've got a chance to finish Client B properly (explain that you've got a new contract lined up for as soon as you finish).