Reply to: How to tell client refusing extension.

[Dearnla]

nice air conditioned office

That sells it for me......

[BolshieBastard]

He knows that but where else would he get all this attention? In real life he's just a dullard that no one wants to talk to.

LOL! I think we all know who the 'attention seeker' is, mong.

Anyways, had a good chat with them, told them I'd been contacted by previous client who wants me to go back. Said they were sorry to lose me and hoped I would work for them again in the future.

Did you get that bike gears?

[ladymuck]

When I quit my last contract, I just strolled up to the manager, enquired as to his nicotine levels (he was trying to quit smoking at the time) and asked for five minutes of his time.

The coversation went thus:
Him: "You've got another job"
Me: "Yes, I have"
Him: "Where?"
Me: "Client X in London"
Him: "That's a bit of a commute, are they paying you lots?"
Me: "Yes, double"
Him: "Fantastic, you'll be missed but you're worth more than we can afford"
Me: "Very kind of you, can I leave next Friday?"
Him: "If you must, I guess they won't wait six months!"

End of, left on excellent terms.

[Shimano105]

Jesus Christ, this is all far too complicated.

A simple 'thanks for the offer but I already have a new contract lined up' is all you need.

Job jobbed...

He knows that but where else would he get all this attention? In real life he's just a dullard that no one wants to talk to.

[stacks]

You too, I thought I was just the lucky one!

it seems to be the standard thing at the interview with the senior people giving it the big one about work loads, pressure and aggressive timescales and then when I get on site I'm twiddling my thumbs. Thats happened on the last 4/5 contracts I've had now, if baffles my wife when she asks if I've had a busy day and the answer is always...not really.

Being a contractor really opens your eyes to the amount of slack there is at a company. Sometimes I try to improve this and hurry things along with improvements but most places just seem to accept it as the norm and blindly continue.

14 companies later and the number of times the description of the role has been anywhere near accurate at interview has been – once, this one.
How many times have I heard about the level of pressure I can expect, tough workloads blah blah blah and find they are a stroll. Of course, consider your options if you have any but you can take what a client says at interview to be as accurate as what an agent says.

[ratewhore]

Jesus Christ, this is all far too complicated.

A simple 'thanks for the offer but I already have a new contract lined up' is all you need.

Job jobbed...

[SuperZ]

Good one - agree, never burn bridges.

Yeah, I tried something similar to that phrase once only to hear "fu** off, everyone hates it here, I've been here for 4 fu***** years and you're leaving 'cause you want out'

Then a few people hated me for the last few days. Oh well, I tried

[TFour]

I always go with.

"Thank you for your kind offer but I have been made an offer with another company that I just cannot refuse at all. I have thoroughly enjoyed working here and it has been an absolute pleasure". Then I give them a business card and talk about keeping in touch for the future.

Even if it has been a nightmare it is always good to end it on a good note. I have found it works and people do tend to stay in touch.

Good one - agree, never burn bridges.

[Hawkeye]

I always go with.

"Thank you for your kind offer but I have been made an offer with another company that I just cannot refuse at all. I have thoroughly enjoyed working here and it has been an absolute pleasure". Then I give them a business card and talk about keeping in touch for the future.

Even if it has been a nightmare it is always good to end it on a good note. I have found it works and people do tend to stay in touch.

[lukemg]

14 companies later and the number of times the description of the role has been anywhere near accurate at interview has been – once, this one.
How many times have I heard about the level of pressure I can expect, tough workloads blah blah blah and find they are a stroll. Of course, consider your options if you have any but you can take what a client says at interview to be as accurate as what an agent says.

[nomadd]

You're as touchy as SY01. Forcing an argument over the slightest hint of criticism is something my wife does

Hint: Set both BB and SY01 to ignore; works for me. Oh, and make sure you do the same with the wife.

[d000hg]

Hardly. But I fail to see why some people jump on the word 'ethos' when describing the client's environment. But you wave your willy all you want.

You're as touchy as SY01. Forcing an argument over the slightest hint of criticism is something my wife does

[BolshieBastard]

I simply said that I have decided not to renew my extension.

End of.

You've only been there 2 months, I'd understand if it had been a year or two.

If pushed tell them that you've decided to seek pastures new. Don't bother with this ethos stuff because you're implying they have the scruples of a sewer rat and you're above that kind of thing. That's worse than not telling them anything IMO.

So you're telling me you cant get a feel for how things are going to shape up within a couple of months of a new contract?

You can tell very early on how you're going to fit with the client's ways and project etc early on. Yes, when I took the role based on a two way 'interview' process (I never go along with this idea the client is only interviewing me. I always ask some pointed questions about the client, project and role etc), I thought it would be a mutually beneficial role.

It became very clear early on that that wasnt going to happen and despite taking a proactive stance to try and bring things onto the track discussed, these attempts were knocked back.

So the option is to stick it out for the project ie well into 2011 or at the end of the contract move on. I've chosen to move on. The point about the original post though is doing this in a professional way.

Some people clearly arent bothered about that which is fine for them and their business. I just dont operate that way.

Im just going to tell the client I've been asked to work with a previous client but as we all know, conversations dont stop there (usually). Im pretty certain the client will then say 'why arent you extending with us blah, blah, blah?' and will want to know.

Then it becomes a case of telling it like it is and possibly burning bridges or just re iterate the new role and its benefits.

[cojak]

I simply said that I have decided not to renew my extension.

End of.

You've only been there 2 months, I'd understand if it had been a year or two.

If pushed tell them that you've decided to seek pastures new. Don't bother with this ethos stuff because you're implying they have the scruples of a sewer rat and you're above that kind of thing. That's worse than not telling them anything IMO.

[BolshieBastard]

No need to get all defensive, old bean. It's hardly a crime to think of contracting as a job, though it seems IR35 (or willy-waving?) makes everyone feel the need to boast about how non-permy they are

Hardly. But I fail to see why some people jump on the word 'ethos' when describing the client's environment. But you wave your willy all you want.