Reply to: Whats your longest period on bench?

[TheFaQQer]

OMG! You guys on CUK are awesome!

First time on bench and first time out of work in 8yrs (been contracting for 10 months now), I was close to anxiety attack! Last 2 weeks, I spent most of the day on jobserve. Bugging agents (that put my CV forward) for feedback! Looks like I need to smile and accept this as a very likely part of my life. Thanks again guys you ROCK!

please keep responses coming. I am sure many many newbies like me will LOVE this thread!

WOW! You believe everything people post on here about their 'short' bench time!? Geewhizz!

I'd suggest that this thread is more realistic for some people.

[northernladuk]

1. What was your longest period on bench?
3 Months, waiting for SC to come through.

2. WHat did you do on bench?
Got to Elite on Worms Armageddon
3. How did you keep your spirits up?
See question 2

4. How did you land on bench? Contract terminated/ end of contract/ last minute ditch or anything else?
See question 1.

Just imagine what would have happened if your security came through 2 days before reaching Elite! What a conundrum!!

[NotAllThere]

1. What was your longest period on bench?
3 Months, waiting for SC to come through.

2. WHat did you do on bench?
Got to Elite on Worms Armageddon

3. How did you keep your spirits up?
See question 2

4. How did you land on bench? Contract terminated/ end of contract/ last minute ditch or anything else?
See question 1.

[helpFul]

1. What was your longest period on bench?
2. WHat did you do on bench?
3. How did you keep your spirits up?
4. How did you land on bench? Contract terminated/ end of contract/ last minute ditch or anything else?

1. Seven contiguous years.
2. Software development - until electricity cut-off. Study.
3. Didn't manage that.
4. Client went bust just after offering me a renewal; market collapsed in 2001.

[Twisted Peel]

My longest time on the bench

1. Three and a half months last autumn.
2. Had an operation, recovering from that, and was then really ill for a month! (The timing sort of coincided by accident.) So, I was only actually actively looking for a contract for about 10 weeks, if that makes you feel any better!
3. It was difficult because my wife was also looking for work at the time; not the happiest few months of my life, I confess
4. Contract naturally fizzled out, and I had been wanted to move on for a while, anyway... only golden handcuffs kept me there!

[wantacontract]

1. What was your longest period on bench?
2. WHat did you do on bench?
3. How did you keep your spirits up?
4. How did you land on bench? Contract terminated/ end of contract/ last minute ditch or anything else?

1. 5 months.
2. PS3 & Films & Sport & Books & Dossing oh and jobserve....and a nice holiday.
3. Wasn't bothered at the beginning, as fancied a break. It was a terribly cold winter and I turned down lots of interviews to go to far flung places to stay at home to be warm and relax. By the time Jan came and gone, I started panicking! Called up an ex boss and was offered a contract.
4. Contract finished.

Lesson learnt, go to my interviews next time. Dec/Jan/Feb are dead times!!!

[Robinho]

Currently on a month. And so far i've moved house and been on holiday.

[northernladuk]

<<Mod snip. Sorry to spoil the joke. NAT>>

I would hate to ask why you are so late in responding to this thread...

WB though

[SneakySimon]

Bad Times

The storm is coming, the market is nothing like it was 10 months ago, your CV is now against 100 people where it might have been <5 a year ago, 10% rate cuts from all the banks are biting, Freeze on all recuritment at 2 of the big players + contractor Kulls have started, come January your CV will be up against 500+ for each job!! - happens every 10 years or so


It's not all good times

Its been like that for several years IMHO - as soon as redundancys happen (private and public) many try there hand at contracting so a bit more competition but thankfully, most companies look for experienced contractors, though for a low rate I am sure they will take anyone!

[TheFaQQer]

1. What was your longest period on bench?

7 months
<<Mod snip>>

4. How did you land on bench? Contract terminated/ end of contract/ last minute ditch or anything else?

Turned down a 4 month extension because I hated the client, the people (with the exception of one guy, who got axed the week before I turned down the extension) and the work. Had a recharge break, found another project (4 year role) but it fell through while waiting for MoD to port my security clearance back to the Home Office. Had some holiday and quality family time.

[psychocandy]

Well, in last 15 years Ive had a mixture of permie jobs and contracts. Been made redundant 4 times during this spell as well as many ended contracts.

Apart from one time where I was suffering from ill health, so wasnt really in a great state to start a contract (I went about 4-5 months), every time I've been without work I;ve found something within weeks/ month at the most.

Not saying I didnt crap myself each time though..... Hence why I'm back contracting for good I hope. No job security with permie anyway and you just get crap payoff these days. Better to at least build up your own stash of dosh.

Best thing I did recently though was take voluntary redundancy from my crap permie job and go contracting again. Tidy lump sum, 3 weeks officially without work, decent contract now.

[Normie]

Contracting for 10 years. Had one 8 week period about 4 years go on the bench after a contract ended, and needed to wait so that I could then go direct to the same client.

Spent my time digging my allotment, helping builders with extension and general house husband duties. Was a I nice stress free break and the weather was great

[lukemg]

Had a 10 year run to middle of 03 without seeing the bench. A**e dropped out of the market, I panicked and took a perm job for half the money. Took me a couple of years to adjust, find new direction (total luck, got sent on a course because someone dropped out). Been back on contract just over 5 years and seen more of the bench than I would like (avg 39weeks work a year). Longest time out was 5 LONG months after a bank finished every contractor at next renewal and mine was 2 days after the decision.
On a good run at current place and hanging on as long as they let me.
Should just kick back and enjoy the bench as have funds stashed but I can't and it does chip away over time. Did some training which really helped with prep before etc filling in a few weeks.
Good luck to all....

[BlasterBates]

The storm is coming, thousands of job cuts have been announced, but until now no-one has been sacked. The permies who will be sacked don't know who they are yet. This will happen November December. The job cuts will go hand in hand with a contractor cull, ie. lack of renewal, in addition to the rate cuts already being pushed through.

Brace yourselves.

[alreadypacked]

I have been lucky and not landed on the bench unless I wanted too.

Main trick is to finish contracts at the right time to find a new role. I have turned down 2/3 month extention if it would leave me looking at the wrong time.

Plan holidays for the end of contract if you finish at the wrong time. Only start really looking when there are more contract around. What you don't want is to sound desperate.

Madness is to keep doing the same thing and expect different results.

If your CV is not get a responce, re-write it.
If you are failing interviews, get feedback.
If you don't have a warchest, go permie until things pick up.

HTH