Reply to: Contract end. I can stand it.

[expat]

He has already intimated this was due to a recent(ish) divorce.



So you would panic. How does panicking help again? Sounds to me like she is panicking for slightly selfish reasons.

Unless I read the original post wrong...

No, that's unfair. She is panicking because she has a permie frame of mind. No matter that if I take just the last 7 months of contract, and follow it with 5 months off, that would still be a great year.

And she thinks I'm going to be "unemployed", not just looking for a contract.

She thinks the contract not being extended (beyond the current 3rd extension) is equivalent to "being made redundant".

She wants to know why they didn't extend me: thinking of "you were no good and you pissed everybody off" rather than, the work was done (I made it last as long as I could .... )


Like I said, thinks like a permie. But she has her good side too

[cojak]

Current contract ending in 2 weeks. OK, it was good and I'd rather it continued.

I'm good for 4 months more base salary. Contracts deem to be around. I can easily take a 50% cut. So I'm ok so far, this is just contracting.

My partner is freaking out. She is making plans to sell the house before it is repossessed, which she is sure is going to happen.

It's not funny. Does anyone know how to deal with this?

I have tried pointing out that I could get a permie job but we'd have to start making a list of things to give up; she accuses me of making threats. Well, yes, I am: going permie would have a cost.

Had exactly the same problem around Xmas (though not quite as extreme).

Mr C was very anxious and kept asking if I was trying hard enough to find another 'job' [ ].

I took this contract mainly because I wanted to break into that industry, but also because it was the only one on the table at the time and I took a small rate drop, it might have been 3 months on a lower rate rather than 3 months on no rate. It also kept Mr C happy.

Now that the old client wants me back, all that has been forgotten - now it's "why don't you go back - it's better paid and I get to use the car again..."

It's not just women...

[expat]

Expat - I'm really suprised at this - you are such a sensible bloke on here, the voice of reason at all times!!

How come you only have enough money put away for 4 months?!

In today's climate, I'd tend to be as freaky outy as your other half. I'd say she's right to panic.

Unless I read the original post wrong...

Thanks a bunch there.

No, as oracleslave says, the finance restarts from after the divorce. So it's getting better, and in a couple of years I'll be well set to withstand a depression such as we are in now, too soon alas! But everything up to and including the last breath comes that way.

[oracleslave]

How come you only have enough money put away for 4 months?!

He has already intimated this was due to a recent(ish) divorce.

In today's climate, I'd tend to be as freaky outy as your other half. I'd say she's right to panic.

So you would panic. How does panicking help again? Sounds to me like she is panicking for slightly selfish reasons.

Unless I read the original post wrong...

[SallyAnne]

Or just boot her in the fadge and have done with it.

Expat - I'm really suprised at this - you are such a sensible bloke on here, the voice of reason at all times!!

How come you only have enough money put away for 4 months?!

In today's climate, I'd tend to be as freaky outy as your other half. I'd say she's right to panic.

Unless I read the original post wrong...

[murgatroyd]

I don't usually get contracts from jobserve, or even look at it much except out of idle curiosity. It doesn't show much in Siebel (my current field) but there are contracts. Hard to plot though, it's a low-turnover thing.

Funnily, she said something the other day about Siebel not going to last forever. I agree, though I can't remember saying it to her. Has she been googling to see how marketable I am?

Any I'm not fixated on Siebel, it's been a good run with good rates from the unnecessarily high barrier to entry, but I'd drop it if need be. I've switched skills before: I started in 370 Assembler programming, then switched to COBOL because it was more common (and lost the most interest I've had in programming); then added CICS to keep getting contracts; then dropped COBOL (prematurely as it turned out) and went to Windows programming for Client-Server; then went to Siebel.

Next I think I'll leverage my experience to go for leading teams of Indians on data manipulation and analysis. I'm hoping not to need too many more years of IT anyway.

Siebel is dead in the water in the UK as 'almost' all development has been offshored. I have been developing in Siebel for alot of years but I'm now looking abroad for contracts, although I'm a bit hampered as I only speak English.

[expat]

So if she's just worried about you not working, regardless you can hopefully get another contract, work on something so you don't look unemployed.

I am not expecting to have a problem in finding another contract, of some kind, in some reasonable time. Indeed I have leads for right away.

But she is panicking NOW, not next month, at the "redundancy" that is looming.

[d000hg]

She works. But we need my income.

So if she's just worried about you not working, regardless you can hopefully get another contract, work on something so you don't look unemployed.

[Mr Crosby]

How long have you been contracting... and you've only got 4 months base salary AND a mortgage?!

I have for years and haven't got half that.

[expat]

Work on your plan B or generally retire into your study and look busy. Does she work or is she at home all day noticing your laziness?

She works. But we need my income.

[d000hg]

Work on your plan B or generally retire into your study and look busy. Does she work or is she at home all day noticing your laziness?

[BrilloPad]

Was the point of the divorce not to get rid of women?

You failed. ;-)

The point of divorce is to get rid of a woman.

HTH

[ThomasSoerensen]

8 years since I last jumped into contracting. 7 months since my divorce. Capisce?

Was the point of the divorce not to get rid of women?

You failed. ;-)

[BlightyBoy]

8 years since I last jumped into contracting. 7 months since my divorce. Capisce?

So you've already made that sacrifice.

[expat]

How long have you been contracting... and you've only got 4 months base salary AND a mortgage?!

8 years since I last jumped into contracting. 7 months since my divorce. Capisce?