Reply to: What Is The Average "Bench Time" Between Contracts?

[peter_pilgrim]

I've only been contracting for about 8 years and I've been lucky in that most times I've jumped before I was pushed, so I've found the next position before I even handed my notice in. The one time I was dumped I got about three months notice because the manager was trying to keep his only contractor (me) and the accountants were telling him he couldn't and it was a stand off for just long enough for me to find something.

It does tend to take me ages, but I've had the luxury of time to be fussy. I guess most people could get something very quickly, it's just how low you can go really.

All things considered I'd say at least a month. I'm always surprised to hear people talk about "my agent" and "my clients" as I've never got two roles from the same agent and never been employed by the same client twice, but I guess that may depend what line of work you're in or something.

So you are saying that some of those contractors who may be apparently moving from one job to another quickly, could be varying their daily or hour rate in proportion to the job?

That is a food for thought. If that is true are there contractors who really drop £10 or £20 per hours for gig or is actually less than that?

Your experience is like mind, then. Only in my earliest career did I ever get a hat track of "permanent" roles from one agency.

Can the same rule of thumb for professional football player and their clubs actual apply to contracting for IT clients?

"No go back to the same club" Mark Lawrensen, BBC Pundit , MOTD

[rootsnall]

Agents have 'A'-lists of contractors that they know and trust. When new work arises, they call these contractors first.

This is especially important in a niche market where one or two agencies will have knowledge of virtually all the projects going on at any one time. I think what the agents particularly like is if you have a good conversion rate of interviews to contracts. If it's took me a few weeks to line up a new gig I will often swap notes with my trusted agent list and give them leads once I've lined something up for myself.

[Troll]

I'm at 6 weeks on the bench at the moment. Mainly becuase I am being picky about which role I want to take next. I have been offered a few but turned them down.

Also driving now doing some runs to europe so getting close to my daily rate (when you consider no travel costs to work, night out allowance, subsistence etc) so the motivation while the sun holds out in France and Spain is gone. When the weather gets worse I'll start seruously looking again.

After dumping 1200 Litres of diesel on the M1 yesterday I can't wait for next weeks run over on the boat and down to Portugal. Hoping vosa may have stopped looking for me in a few weeks.

SP If your runs to the continent involve passage through Kent ports...I have a business proposition for you ...PM sent

[Moscow Mule]

...but how can one become more popular with agency and clients?...

If you work in a niche market, get invited to the user-group meetings - this has been the single most important thing in me never being on the bench in the 4 years since I left permiedom.

If you don't, get invited to as many agency parties as possible at Chrimbo & take a lot of business cards...

[wendigo100]

As a contractor I believe there must be a metric for your performance. I hear of other contractors that have moved from one gig to another almost flawlessly. I am a little preoccupied by this, because I have had months out between long stints, and because one is not getting any younger.

You mentioned how good you are and how well-known you are amongst agents and clients.

With training and experience you can improve your technical skills, but how can one become more popular with agency and clients? Can you elaborate a little bit more on these, I suppose, social and person-to-person interactions please?

I wasn't saying how good or well-known I am in particular, just that they are large factors.

Networking is very important. There's many on here who'd laugh and laugh at this until they stop, but network with agents as well.

I keep in touch with two or three agencies that I have worked with before, and I get some new work from them. I occasionally call them even when I'm in the middle of a contract, which means that I'm not always hassling them for work. Agents have 'A'-lists of contractors that they know and trust. When new work arises, they call these contractors first.

If you have done a good job anywhere, keep in touch with that agent (and with the client if possible, but don't piss them off). It does take time to build up relationships though.

[Sockpuppet]

I'm at 6 weeks on the bench at the moment. Mainly becuase I am being picky about which role I want to take next. I have been offered a few but turned them down.

Also driving now doing some runs to europe so getting close to my daily rate (when you consider no travel costs to work, night out allowance, subsistence etc) so the motivation while the sun holds out in France and Spain is gone. When the weather gets worse I'll start seruously looking again.

After dumping 1200 Litres of diesel on the M1 yesterday I can't wait for next weeks run over on the boat and down to Portugal. Hoping vosa may have stopped looking for me in a few weeks.

[chicane]

All things considered I'd say at least a month. I'm always surprised to hear people talk about "my agent" and "my clients" as I've never got two roles from the same agent and never been employed by the same client twice, but I guess that may depend what line of work you're in or something.

Disguised permie. I'm off to tell Gordo.

[scooterscot]

Never been on the bench in 4 years. Ask me again in 20 years.

[thunderlizard]

At one end of the scale, there are industry generalists with a wide set of skills. They're hardly ever on the bench. At the other, you've got the niche guys who often only expect 4 months work per year. Horses for courses etc.

[Cowboy Bob]

Never been benched for more than 2 months - and that includes a 1 month voluntary break.

[Buffoon]

23.72 days.

HTH

That is a typical answer from a rubbish UK contractor. I am sure those highly qualified and fully experience Indians could give that figure to at least four decimal places.

[dang65]

I've only been contracting for about 8 years and I've been lucky in that most times I've jumped before I was pushed, so I've found the next position before I even handed my notice in. The one time I was dumped I got about three months notice because the manager was trying to keep his only contractor (me) and the accountants were telling him he couldn't and it was a stand off for just long enough for me to find something.

It does tend to take me ages, but I've had the luxury of time to be fussy. I guess most people could get something very quickly, it's just how low you can go really.

All things considered I'd say at least a month. I'm always surprised to hear people talk about "my agent" and "my clients" as I've never got two roles from the same agent and never been employed by the same client twice, but I guess that may depend what line of work you're in or something.

[peter_pilgrim]

There is no typical average. It depends on loads of things, like what you do, how well-known you are amongst agents and clients, how good you are, how fussy you are with what you take.

Bench time can vary a lot too. I've been contracting for 19 years, on more than 20 gigs. I've had three significant benchings in that time, about 2 months each. The other transitions have mostly been Friday to Monday, except for a few days here and there.

As a contractor I believe there must be a metric for your performance. I hear of other contractors that have moved from one gig to another almost flawlessly. I am a little preoccupied by this, because I have had months out between long stints, and because one is not getting any younger.

You mentioned how good you are and how well-known you are amongst agents and clients.

With training and experience you can improve your technical skills, but how can one become more popular with agency and clients? Can you elaborate a little bit more on these, I suppose, social and person-to-person interactions please?

[wendigo100]

There is no typical average. It depends on loads of things, like what you do, how well-known you are amongst agents and clients, how good you are, how fussy you are with what you take.

Bench time can vary a lot too. I've been contracting for 19 years, on more than 20 gigs. I've had three significant benchings in that time, about 2 months each. The other transitions have mostly been Friday to Monday, except for a few days here and there.

[King Cnvt]

23.72 days.

HTH