Hello

[Goosefeather]

From midsummer I started looking fro Permanent also. Had a couple of interviews but I much prefer face to face rather than telephone interviews as I prefer to engage properly where I dont think you can over the phone. Especially if you have 4 people all battling for air time at once!

Suffice to say, ended up getting 2 interviews that were face to face in one week and was offered both gigs. Both from Jobserve. I have to say my old contacts, and new, have been pretty atrocious at communicating and finding suitable work. They seem to be getting lazier/less efficient.

Funny now though that I get emails sent through asking if I would be interested in really noddy stuff. Junior designer/Office admin etc. They clearly havent read my CV...

And whats with recruiters these days all being straight out of college? Many think they know my field better than me...

All that aside, I am back up and running and back on the happy side of the field.

[saptastic]

As most mention in their introduction, long time lurked 1st time poster.

So, hello.

I see a lot of folk ask about contracting, and many mentio the difficulties of landing a second contract. Well...

I am testament to that. I ended my 1st contract back in March last year, I met my deliverables and the client ended up wanting me as a bum on seat. I didn't want this so refused a renewal and thought it would be great to have some time off with the kids and then after 4 weeks I could find a new contract. Come April with new budgets to spent this would be easy, right? Wrong!

10 months I was on the bench with no income and 4 mouths to feed. It was a struggle, both mentally and financially but finally I bagged my second contract and started at the beginning of January. It was a long, hard slog but I survived. Just.

Think about this. Do you have the mental strength to last months with no income? My war chest was completely depleted before I started working again and it was a massive stress on me and my family. So when these guys here offer advice, listen to it and be prepared for hard times and ask yourselves repeatedly if you can manage. It ain't all plain sailing...

Food for thought.

GF

good luck on the second gig - thanks for sharing

Did you not apply for permie world with this stress? Or willing to hold out at any cost?

[PerfectStorm]

I think you'll come to love being a bum on a seat.

It's certainly better than the alternative; when there's no seat at all.

[Old Greg]

Glad you made it.

I've only had one long bench time - 5 months - and that was stressful enough.

[northernladuk]

As most mention in their introduction, long time lurked 1st time poster.

So, hello.

I see a lot of folk ask about contracting

Odd that, on a contracting forum and all that

, and many mentio the difficulties of landing a second contract. Well...

I am testament to that. I ended my 1st contract back in March last year, I met my deliverables and the client ended up wanting me as a bum on seat. I didn't want this so refused a renewal and thought it would be great to have some time off with the kids and then after 4 weeks I could find a new contract. Come April with new budgets to spent this would be easy, right? Wrong!

10 months I was on the bench with no income and 4 mouths to feed. It was a struggle, both mentally and financially but finally I bagged my second contract and started at the beginning of January. It was a long, hard slog but I survived. Just.

Think about this. Do you have the mental strength to last months with no income? My war chest was completely depleted before I started working again and it was a massive stress on me and my family. So when these guys here offer advice, listen to it and be prepared for hard times and ask yourselves repeatedly if you can manage. It ain't all plain sailing...

Food for thought.

GF

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate situation but many thanks for sharing. Some good points and really useful to have some real life evidence.

Gratz on the new gig and hopefully it's the last time it's going to happen to you.

[Goosefeather]

As most mention in their introduction, long time lurked 1st time poster.

So, hello.

I see a lot of folk ask about contracting, and many mentio the difficulties of landing a second contract. Well...

I am testament to that. I ended my 1st contract back in March last year, I met my deliverables and the client ended up wanting me as a bum on seat. I didn't want this so refused a renewal and thought it would be great to have some time off with the kids and then after 4 weeks I could find a new contract. Come April with new budgets to spent this would be easy, right? Wrong!

10 months I was on the bench with no income and 4 mouths to feed. It was a struggle, both mentally and financially but finally I bagged my second contract and started at the beginning of January. It was a long, hard slog but I survived. Just.

Think about this. Do you have the mental strength to last months with no income? My war chest was completely depleted before I started working again and it was a massive stress on me and my family. So when these guys here offer advice, listen to it and be prepared for hard times and ask yourselves repeatedly if you can manage. It ain't all plain sailing...

Food for thought.

GF