Reply to: Do part time (3 days per week) contracting roles exist?

[DodgyAgent]

Hi Guys,

I am looking for a IT contracting role which is 3 days per week (business analysis, requirements, process, project management, digital, etc.) - the other days of the week I will be working on my own tech startup.

Will I be able to find a role like this?

Opinions please!

Thanks,
Notting

No if you are relying on agencies.

maybe/probably if you have developed your own clients

[jmo21]

What I am interested in is how by working less days per week this could possibly translate to a rate rise? If client co have no budget then they are unlikely to agree paying more per day for a shorter working week.

Well, the point is, they want to keep you, for the experience you have, but do not have the need for full time.

So lets say you are on £500/day, £2500/week.

You drop to 3 days a week, and get an increase to £550/day, £1650/week.

Client gets to keep you, and you get an increase to sweeten the fact you are working less.

It won't cover your original 5 days of course, but they should be happy, less cost, retained experience.

[Ignis Fatuus]

I have done several 3 day per week contracts. Am doing two at the moment.

In every case it has been with clients I know, where I have said at renewal or at start that I can only offer 3 days. I like the lifestyle and I can push rates up.

over 5 days per week??

[speling bee]

I once had two contracts, a 15 day one and a 20 day one, that I just jumbled up over a few months as I saw fit and was convenient for the clients. At the moment I'm prefering steady income to rebuild the warchest but once that's done I'd like to go back to part timing. 5 days a week is too much.

Am just taking on a short 2 day per week contract to run alongside my 3 day one.

[doodab]

I once had two contracts, a 15 day one and a 20 day one, that I just jumbled up over a few months as I saw fit and was convenient for the clients. At the moment I'm prefering steady income to rebuild the warchest but once that's done I'd like to go back to part timing. 5 days a week is too much.

[mudskipper]

If there's no budget, it's going to be difficult.

In my case they wanted to renew five days a week at previous (lowish) rate. So I suggested 4 days at higher rate - it's actually working out really well as I got a 200 days contract over a year, so it's completely flexible - extra days here and there for a few longer holidays.

[chef]

This - except you use it as a negotiation compromise for your rate rise. "Yes, I'll renew, but I need an extra £50 a day." <client squeal> "Oh, you can't afford it? What if I only work 4 days a week?" Win/win

Client co told on my last renewal that after a healthy 14 month run, performing an interim role fixing various long term issues While they reorganise client co, that I've finally drained the budget pot dry however, due to their lack of planning skills they haven't done anything about reorganising or even thinking about how my current role should be merged with the rest of client co environment now that the issues are mostly fixed and it is more a case of optimising, administrating and improving. Therefore they are very reluctant to let "the expertise" (their words not mine) leave.

Their first train of thought was to outsource to bob but thankfully bob showed very early on that they were incompetent and would have caused major issues with their proposed solutions, thus putting client co off this option for a long time.

Their current train off thought is that now most of the firefighting has been done that maybe I could work part time (obviously with longer deadlines etc.). I'm keen, as any income topping up the war chest is better than nothing but then I could also do with working less per week to get the new house sorted.

What I am interested in is how by working less days per week this could possibly translate to a rate rise? If client co have no budget then they are unlikely to agree paying more per day for a shorter working week.

[Platypus]

I do 3 days actual work each week, but I get to bill for 5 days

[alreadypacked]

AlreadyPacked is a very clever lady...

[Old Greg]

I have done several 3 day per week contracts. Am doing two at the moment.

In every case it has been with clients I know, where I have said at renewal or at start that I can only offer 3 days. I like the lifestyle and I can push rates up.

[Mich the Tester]

Hi Guys,

I am looking for a IT contracting role which is 3 days per week (business analysis, requirements, process, project management, digital, etc.) - the other days of the week I will be working on my own tech startup.

Will I be able to find a role like this?

Opinions please!

Thanks,
Notting

There aren't many because clientcos usually need capacity for a project with tight deadlines (read: crap planning); they already have to fit things in around permies who work part time, and don't want to do that with contractors

[notting]

Hi All,

Thanks for your feedback! Some very useful (and funny comments) in there.

I'll let you know how I get on!

Notting

[Sysman]

WTS. I managed 6 months doing 2-3 days per week, but that came after a couple of months full time at the client (and I'd worked for the same client a few years previously). At the end of the full time stint they were saying the may have more, but weren't sure if and when, so I (keen to get any income at all) said I'd be happy to do any short term work, or even work part-time, and the manager's eyes lit up and suggested 2/3 days a week and said it never would have occurred to him to ask.

My first offer of 2 days a week was after I'd been with a client for 2 years. I had been doing bug fixing and I'd got most of it out of the way; they still wanted me around but not full time. The deal was Tuesdays and Thursdays, and if a client hit a bug on a Friday they'd call me in. That way they could promise their clients a response within one working day.

I wanted to branch out to explore other areas so it suited me fine.

[SupremeSpod]

I have only ever seen this once. A very very clever lady got 4 days a week at UBS. She was the spitting image of miss piggy.

Very best of luck!

AlreadyPacked is a very clever lady...

[Sysman]

I have only ever seen this once. A very very clever lady got 4 days a week at UBS. She was the spitting image of miss piggy.

Very best of luck!

I've seen it quite often in Switzerland and for permie jobs too. It's great for those who want to take time off to study.

On the contracting side though, an ex-colleague doing 2 days at one place and 3 days with us per week made the comment that he'd come up against problems with both companies thinking his loyalty laid with the other one. It's probably best not to pick two clients who are in competition with each other.