Reply to: number of weeks worked per year

[swamp]

I reckon as a newbie contractor this year you'll be:

a) Watching Trisha

b) Billing 0 (zero) (нет) weeks a year

HTH

[NotAllThere]

Sometimes I do feel REALY ill and incapable of doing an effective days work
- so I don't work those days.

Oh, I do. You get kudos from the managers for coming in while feeling lousy, and then when the permies are sick, you cover for them, (in addition to your own work, which only takes you one hour in any case, cos you're so much better than the permies) and get more kudos from the management.

Currently, I'm working part-time. Skiing tomorrow. Back to work Tuesday. I do like this contracting lark!

[vhadiant]

Like the OP I equate the number of weeks projected in a year to value how much a contract worth. Not that I have been contracting for long, but I use 45 weeks / year to budget. That gives me around 5 weeks / year for holiday & sick provision.

I don't see any permie mentality in doing this. You can set a target income & expenses for the year.

[TheFaQQer]

Business Analyst / Financial Services Consultant / General Project "fixer"

I billed 215 days in 2006, 180 days in 2007.

I haven't had a long break in a while, but think that I am due one.

You said last year that you were going to take a break and relax. And then took the first contract that arrived the following week, IIRC

[TheFaQQer]

I should make it clear that my earlier answer refers to the question "how many weeks a year you bill?" rather than the one in the thread title of "number of weeks worked per year".

As my number of posts here shows, I rarely work.

[Bumfluff]

218 in last company year, but I did have quite a bit of time off, Ive gone past the stage where I break into a sweat with the thought of no pay if I dont work, people need time off

[Gonzo]

Business Analyst / Financial Services Consultant / General Project "fixer"

I billed 215 days in 2006, 180 days in 2007.

I haven't had a long break in a while, but think that I am due one.

[Dow Jones]

Mythical number

Stretch it a bit more (25 d hols = 5 wks and 15 d sick = 3 wks plus 2 wks or so Bank Hols) and you get the mythical 50 x 4/5 = 40 wks he was originally referring to in his project plan. Depends on the scale of the project and size of the team. I stretch it to its limits if I can (and finish earlier, which is always a bonus)

[FarmerPalmer]

There are 52 weeks in a year (stating the obvious) and 8 days bank holidays.

I work on an average of 25 days holiday and 10 days sick

Sometimes I do feel REALY ill and incapable of doing an effective days work
- so I don't work those days.

[NotAllThere]

a) Neighbour of the beast.
b) 668.

a) Millibeast
b) 0.666

[Archangel]

Over the last 19 years contracting I've averaged about 45 weeks a year.

[lesh]

Is this 'Dumb PM Week'? I've seen so many products of the nannie state lately, I now see I 've got nothing to fear in terms of competition.
Why would one ask others how many days they should bill?

if you can't understand the question you've got more to fear that you think

[ratewhore]

Infosec
Generally around 45 weeks by choice. Every couple of years I will have a longer break of around 5-6 months. Again, by choice.

Gotta love contracting...

[expat]

I plan 40 weeks of work a year.

I also have a planned income. At the low end of my skillset rate, that's 40 weeks - at the high end,32 weeks. If can get to my planned income in fewer than 40 weeks I'll do so.

That sounds like a really good way of looking at things. Good way of staying sane about income.

[Moscow Mule]

Is this 'Dumb PM Week'? I've seen so many products of the nannie state lately, I now see I 've got nothing to fear in terms of competition.
Why would one ask others how many days they should bill?
Doesn't one know that there are (exc. Bank Holidays) around 50 weeks left? If that were my 1st project I'd work every single day, so that I could put some money away, in the light of what's happening atm.
Surprised by the mentality really, if nothing else.
Once a permie, always a permie.

You've mis-understood the question - he's trying to work out a budget and in that how many billable weeks per year he can expect - not how many he should bill.

It's not an un-reasonable question.