Working Multiple Contracts

[northernladuk]

Everything got done on both contracts but I found it very hard satisfying two clients at the same time.

The Mrs makes a living out of that.

[jamesbrown]

How do people do it?

The easiest way is to get FFP contracts for deliverables, or a mixture of FFP and T&M, rather than T&M alone. Having multiple T&M contracts that each need to be delivered at a client site is always going to be more difficult. That said, unless you're a specialist and largely dictating your own terms, it will be difficult fullstop.

[VirtualMonkey]

I've been doing that (on and off) for the last couple of years and it does get very difficult. It all boils down to whether the clients know you have other work. If you're trying to earn double bubble by having a 5 day a week contract and 'fitting in' some other work for a couple of days a week then you're going to come a cropper.

I've been doing a lot of IT design/project management/installation into new school builds for the last 2-3 years and have had 2 clients at the same time. Even though I had someone else (former permie of that clientco) doing the stuff down south I still had that client thinking I wasn't giving them enough attention.

Everything got done on both contracts but I found it very hard satisfying two clients at the same time.

[BrilloPad]

It it gets too busy invoke right of substitution.

[mudskipper]

I do it. I have one 'main' client and a couple of 'as and when'. As others have said, it can be a challenge at times, but mostly works for me, although I often end up working late/long hours to keep everyone happy.


It can also make finding new contracts trickier - most clients think they need someone 5 days a week.

[LondonManc]

It's okay until one of them wants more of your time than you expected then it can get very tiring very quickly.

[northernladyuk]

Hi all,

Currently on a contract until November and have been on since June last year. I'm starting to think about trying to pickup a new contract as I've been very VMware focussed over the last year and would like to be working with a wider range of tech. Current role is also 100% remote.

Question I have is, does anyone currently work more than 1 contract at the moment. Not talking of working 2 x 40hr jobs, but 2/3 days at each. I know people do this and reducing my current contract to 2/3 days a week should be fine. Trying to find something else that is only 2/3 days a week is seemingly difficult! How do people do it?

Cheers!

Have done it occasionally, but through former clients. I have done:

3 days + 2 days (worked fine)
5 days + 1 day (did the 1 day split into 1 hour slots while commuting on the train, and it got a bit tiring after a while logging in a 7:15 a.m. on train and having to put in an hour's work and then the same on the way home)

[NotAllThere]

I do it. Personal contacts. Occasionally agents have something, and sometimes companies advertise on job boards directly.

[TydnA]

Hi all,

Currently on a contract until November and have been on since June last year. I'm starting to think about trying to pickup a new contract as I've been very VMware focussed over the last year and would like to be working with a wider range of tech. Current role is also 100% remote.

Question I have is, does anyone currently work more than 1 contract at the moment. Not talking of working 2 x 40hr jobs, but 2/3 days at each. I know people do this and reducing my current contract to 2/3 days a week should be fine. Trying to find something else that is only 2/3 days a week is seemingly difficult! How do people do it?

Cheers!