Reply to: First time benched; does the wanking ever stop?

[nomadd]

You're 39 and still having to work?

Work?

Don't be silly, he's a contractor.

[Kelstar]

Managed to get a telephone interview booked for next week, but the rate is low and involves an M25 daily commute. So not too excited. Looking forward to the opportunity of actually talking shop again!

Good luck with the interview!!

[MarillionFan]

You're 39 and still having to work?

Is he still on his first wife?

[ChimpMaster]

Some excellent replies and links to tulipting hippos. Thanks all.

Managed to get a telephone interview booked for next week, but the rate is low and involves an M25 daily commute. So not too excited. Looking forward to the opportunity of actually talking shop again!

While benched I have:

• Been on Holiday (2 weeks with the family in Lanzarote)
• Landscaped my mother-in-laws garden (in-progress)
• Written a screen saver app that involves evolving organisms
• Written a web site for my bother's bodyshop company
• Nearly gotten around to writting my Co's web site
• Taken several online training courses (PuralSight)
• Spent a stupid amount of time on JobServe

It's been tough to actually relax into the down time. This is the longest I haven't earnt money since I was 17 (22 years ago!). But still have 4 months left in the warchest, as long as I can get the misses to stop buying more sodding clothes*.

* Note: Not clothes for sodomy.

You're 39 and still having to work?

[Cr1spy]

One agent I chased up, had received over 200 CV's in less than 30 minutes from posting the contract on JobServe.

Actually she was a very nice Lady, who took the time to go through my CV with me and offer some advice. Apparently, rule number one: Make sure the job main techs appear at least 5 times in the CV. This helps with their CV filtering algorithm!

[BoredBloke]

WHS

Just apply and don't chase agents. They will contact you if you fit the hiring managers criteria and when the role goes live. My current and last contract were with agents I spoke to, who then contacted me a few months later.

I always chase agents. My theory is to get your name in their heads and make sure they look at your CV. I respond to an advert and as soon as the CV has left I'm on the phone. If they have not left their number on the advert I google them. If they are getting 100's of CV's, even if you are a spot on match, the chances are that there are a few spot on matches. They might find their quota and not ever both calling you. I start the job hunting at 4 weeks to go and spend a lot of the last month securing my next contract. When they ask about start dates I lie, just like they do. That can always be negotiated at the interview or after. At 4 weeks to go the notice is 2 weeks and at 2 weeks to go its immediate. Plus you can usually bank on about 2 weeks between seeing the advert, the interview happeing and agreeing a start date. If its a banking role it can be longer given the background checks.

[nomadd]

While benched I have:

• Written a screen saver app that involves evolving orgasms.

Fixed.

You see, all that was of some use.

Now, go and clean your screen.

[Cr1spy]

Some excellent replies and links to tulipting hippos. Thanks all.

Managed to get a telephone interview booked for next week, but the rate is low and involves an M25 daily commute. So not too excited. Looking forward to the opportunity of actually talking shop again!

While benched I have:

• Been on Holiday (2 weeks with the family in Lanzarote)
• Landscaped my mother-in-laws garden (in-progress)
• Written a screen saver app that involves evolving organisms
• Written a web site for my bother's bodyshop company
• Nearly gotten around to writting my Co's web site
• Taken several online training courses (PuralSight)
• Spent a stupid amount of time on JobServe

It's been tough to actually relax into the down time. This is the longest I haven't earnt money since I was 17 (22 years ago!). But still have 4 months left in the warchest, as long as I can get the misses to stop buying more sodding clothes*.

* Note: Not clothes for sodomy.

[DimPrawn]

Benched is where you want work but are unable to get any. Wealthy is where you dont work and dont need to.

Ive never been benched.

WHS.

[escapeUK]

Benched is where you want work but are unable to get any. Wealthy is where you dont work and dont need to.

Ive never been benched.

[doodab]

[edit - to put you out of your misery... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aQySL0sKys]

And here is a hippo having a tulip.

Personally I prefer watching CNC machines

[Spacecadet]

Much better than wondering if those dried out cracks in your "thing" will become sore!

[IR35FanClub]

Try BangBros.com. With that much prawn available you'll soon overdose and then get bored of it and get back to loooking for a contract. Or fixing the house. Or anything other than more time watching other people go about their business.

Alternatively - I can reccomend reading the 4 hour work week by Tim Ferris immedialtely and then plan to have regular bench session each year and go abroad and learn a new language/compete in the world kick boxing championships/latin dance championship/volunteer to build a house in Africa etc.

Much better than wondering if those dried out cracks in your "thing" will become sore!

If you really can't face doing something productive. You can go on you tube instead and find really shocking and/or funny videos to post to your face book page. There's some great real death videos / cop shoot out type things. And Epic failure videos that aren't a set up. (My favourite is the one where the storm drain on LA freeway exploded taking out a truck with it -- see if you can find that - its hilarious when the guy gets out his car and you just know its going to blow again! We are talking a 3m diameter drain here and a water spout about 50ft high!)

[edit - to put you out of your misery... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aQySL0sKys]

[Robinho]

Go on holiday.

[Scrag Meister]

I feel your pain.

On the couple of occasions I have been benched, 3 months and 2 months, I was dead bored after 2 weeks.

As others have said you need a plan, I didn't have one either.

My schedule was a couple of hours job hunting first thing, chasing agents, go for a walk, watch a lot of US TV Shows, clean the house, cook the tea.

My wife loved me being benched as she could sit on her arris and chill in the evening because it was all done.