Termination, please advise

[gasca]

I've been in a contract for an investment bank, a 6 month rolling one. Got one extension, then 2 months before the next renewal had a meeting with the team lead and line manager where they announced they are terminating. The reason given is that they'd rather have someone with a testing background.

Asked why not let me finish, the line manager said that they need someone ASAP and they can't start hiring before the position is vacant. After the meeting an email was sent to agency and me asking to execute the notice and confirm my leaving date. I am now working through the notice period as normal. Chemistry was never perfect between myself and the lead and it was hinted at at the meeting, but there was no negative feedback and we had a 1-to-1 not long ago where he was positive.

Now I am a bit puzzled by this. Is it a common situaiton? I thought an early termination would imply a stronger reason and escorting out of the building. I was not going to renew anyway, so there is little immediate impact. But I would like to put this into perspective and get advice on how to handle it in CV or future interviews.

[Lance]

Sounds perfect. You weren’t going to renew anyway. They’ve not given you any other work so demonstrated a lack of MOO, and will pay you a notice period. Win win.

[northernladuk]

You are way over thinking it. You delivered up until the point you couldn't due to changes at the client so you left. They've given you a perfectly reasonable excuse why and they've been very good to let you work notice which they didn't need to do.

You completed what you could and the gig ended. No need to worry how it looks on your CV or what people say. You worked, it came to an end, move on.

Is it common a gig comes to an end when a contractor is no longer needed. Yes. Every single one.
It isn't that common to be given notice because the requirement changes mid gig to be fair but it does happen and is just part of being a flexible resource.

[BR14]

Wot NLUK says, - no worries

[Glencky]

Yes, what NLUK says.

As a recruiting manager I usually kept people on till the end of contracts if I could (and we offered short contracts initially for this reason, it spooks the other contracts if you terminate too many people mid-contract). But there are always occasions when it just doesn't work out like that. You're overthinking it because you feel like it's a reflection on you - it may be, it may be more of a reflection on the recruiting manager, it may be nothing to do with you but the most important thing is that the ability to do this is one key reason why most of us have work..! so don't worry about it. Nobody will get hung up on it, particularly since by the sound of it you had at least one renewal before this happened.

What *IS* important though is to properly convince yourself this was no big deal and have the words easily to hand in future interviews, to talk about it without appearing shifty or flustered - there is no reason to be either.

[gasca]

Many thanks for the responses. Perhaps I am overthinking it, but I have trouble believing them because it is not a fast-paced environment. It can take a month just to go through the screening, everything in this organisation moves very slowly. There are some indicators that they are being honest with the reason and some to the contrary.

From the employer's pespective (Tier 1 bank), how easy is it to terminate a contractor just to get someone else in? Does a solid reason need to be prodived or is it all up to the line manager?

Does the "no hiring before vacancy" theory sound plausible?

[northernladuk]

At the end of the day, what does it matter? You are done. End of. What ever reason is really non of your business now. Don't keep hanging on. Just move on.
They may have used the tester issue as an excuse because people do not like to tell other people they are crap, or it might be real. It could be someone just doesn't like you of you've creeped one of the female staff out and it's the easiest way to get rid of you....but it doesn't matter. You're done.

How strong a reason just depends. The hiring manager can get rid if he doesn't like your aftershave if he really wants. You are a supplier, nothing more. What his superiors will say about him getting rid of you because of something petty? Maybe they won't hear or they don't care or they'll hear you were crap and need replacing. Either way... Guess what.. You are done.

Move on.

[Lance]

From the employer's pespective

Oops. Did you mean that?

[BR14]

At the end of the day, what does it matter? You are done. End of. What ever reason is really non of your business now. Don't keep hanging on. Just move on.
They may have used the tester issue as an excuse because people do not like to tell other people they are crap, or it might be real. It could be someone just doesn't like you of you've creeped one of the female staff out and it's the easiest way to get rid of you....but it doesn't matter. You're done.

How strong a reason just depends. The hiring manager can get rid if he doesn't like your aftershave if he really wants. You are a supplier, nothing more. What his superiors will say about him getting rid of you because of something petty? Maybe they won't hear or they don't care or they'll hear you were crap and need replacing. Either way... Guess what.. You are done.

Move on.

A bit harsh, old chap, your earlier post was succinct enough

[quackhandle]

Dat's Contractin' blud. Smarten waaay down, hit yourself street side and get yo'self anoda' gig, fine style.

qh is all jive.