Reply to: Longest Contract to date and losing the will to live

[mudskipper]

2 years at the end of the month.

But it's soooo handy....

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

I reckon 12 months is when it starts to lose appeal

It's very true - I am at 14 months now and it is well and truly dead & buried.

[DaveB]

Arse.

Just been told they want to extend my contract until just before Christmas. Part of me really doesn't want to extend, part of me thinks of the money and the chances of finding something else at this time of year. I was happily counting down until finishing this contract.
I'm fairly sure that, against my better judgement, I may take it. It's only 6 weeks, puts some more cash in the kitty, and rounds the year out. I'm not sure if I can do the Mon-Fri away from home any more though, so may make it conditional on WFH / a more local office, and I think I'm going to take a week or so for holiday in November, as I was planning to do when I thought I'd be out.

Why do people insist on trying to give me money?

Perfect opportunity to lay out the ground rules then. Insist on clearing up the issues or you wont take it.

[SimonMac]

I reckon 12 months is when it starts to lose appeal

[SimonMac]

18 years, could have bailed when the kids were 16 but I got complacent

[eek]

Caudwell? Had an interview/offer there, jesus battery hens, any lunch over 15mins was frowned upon on and they wanted over 40h per week.

Said no, which upset the pimp muchly.

qh

When I got fed up I used to head out for lunch. The panicked reaction from the sales director when I wasn't around meant that quickly no one dared upset me.

You use the layout of the company to protect yourself. Often it works very well :

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Caudwell? Had an interview/offer there, jesus battery hens, any lunch over 15mins was frowned upon on and they wanted over 40h per week.

Said no, which upset the pimp muchly.

qh

42.5 as standards and expected to be in longer. 30 mins lunch is an absolute maximum but I'm sure that must be illegal.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Arse.

Just been told they want to extend my contract until just before Christmas. Part of me really doesn't want to extend, part of me thinks of the money and the chances of finding something else at this time of year. I was happily counting down until finishing this contract.
I'm fairly sure that, against my better judgement, I may take it. It's only 6 weeks, puts some more cash in the kitty, and rounds the year out. I'm not sure if I can do the Mon-Fri away from home any more though, so may make it conditional on WFH / a more local office, and I think I'm going to take a week or so for holiday in November, as I was planning to do when I thought I'd be out.

Why do people insist on trying to give me money?

I insist you give that money to me...... Come on I insist

[quackhandle]

+1. While a client wants me I'll settle for the devil I know rather than the devil I don't. Mind you I will work anywhere as 18 months at Caudwell would prove to anyone old enough to know the place.

Caudwell? Had an interview/offer there, jesus battery hens, any lunch over 15mins was frowned upon on and they wanted over 40h per week.

Said no, which upset the pimp muchly.

qh

[Ticktock]

4 months in to a 6 monther now - due to finish first week of November.

As things stand there's no way I'll renew. Had enough of explaining what a contractor is, why I won't request holiday, create a personal development plan, why I send an invoice for expenses, etc, to my "line manager" (an HR Trainer) who I was assigned to as they didn't have a proper project team set up.
Looks like they may actually get a project team sorted and reassign me soon, but it may be too little too late for me.

Arse.

Just been told they want to extend my contract until just before Christmas. Part of me really doesn't want to extend, part of me thinks of the money and the chances of finding something else at this time of year. I was happily counting down until finishing this contract.
I'm fairly sure that, against my better judgement, I may take it. It's only 6 weeks, puts some more cash in the kitty, and rounds the year out. I'm not sure if I can do the Mon-Fri away from home any more though, so may make it conditional on WFH / a more local office, and I think I'm going to take a week or so for holiday in November, as I was planning to do when I thought I'd be out.

Why do people insist on trying to give me money?

[Cr1spy]

Just finished 12 months and accepted an extension for another 9. It's getting stale but they agreed to 10% rate rise!

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

+1. While a client wants me I'll settle for the devil I know rather than the devil I don't. Mind you I will work anywhere as 18 months at Caudwell would prove to anyone old enough to know the place.

Done 9 months at a the place in Crewe. Never again.

[DaveB]

2 years
1 year
1 month
2 years
1 month
1 year
1.5 years so far and no end in sight.

Just finessed a move to another area of client co within the same program to help keep it interesting. Also means 80% WFH, which will be nice after a year and a half working away in the week

[eek]

I've only ever walked from one contract, after about 6 or 7 months.

Didn't like the client, the project, the people or the location, so I turned down a six month extension.

+1. While a client wants me I'll settle for the devil I know rather than the devil I don't. Mind you I will work anywhere as 18 months at Caudwell would prove to anyone old enough to know the place.

[TheFaQQer]

I've only ever walked from one contract, after about 6 or 7 months.

Didn't like the client, the project, the people or the location, so I turned down a six month extension.